Retirement How's that working for you?
by iamtryN
Summary: #2 of I'm Back,right? They have retired... or have they?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: Don't own anything but the sand in my own sandbox… (dang it!)

**NOTE#1**: I normally would post this on Wednesday but my computer was being worked on all day yesterday. Gkids put like 300 Weather apps on my sidebar and locked up my 'puter. Took forever to fix! We are now Kansas residents and I want to sincerely beg for forgiveness for this taking so long to post! I really hope it was worth the wait. They finally got my internet up Tuesday. Thanks so much for the favs and alerts and reviews! This is number 2 of I'm back, right? Hope it's all you dreamed hotshow... this is also for all the others (C) who have waited patiently...

Chapter 1

"Bobby, I gotta tell ya this is freaking me out, dude." Dean said looking up from the carburetor he was adjusting for the third time that morning. He muttered softly as he ran a hand through his hair, "I can't let Sammy see me rattled." He stopped again as he slammed the hood down on the impala, chucking the tool in his hand to the ground as he whispered, "I don't want him to know."

"That you're worried… Dean." Bobby looked up from the tools he was putting away as he told his surrogate son, "Anyone with in a mile of you can feel the tension rolling off you…"

Dean sighed as he leaned back against the impala's grill before he finally said, "But it's been a week."

"Dean, the monk said give him time." Bobby told him as he handed him a grease rag.

Dean started wiping his hands as he looked at Bobby with an expression that clearly said a week was a lot of time for him to wait.

Bobby chuckled as he admitted, "You've never been one for patience."

"It's Sammy." He stated flatly, which in Dean language meant he had waited long enough when five minutes… _no_ two minutes had passed.

"I know, Dean… _I know_." Bobby wanted to make contact with Dean but felt a shoulder squeeze at the moment might have Dean bolting so he chose to stand there and listen.

"He's scared." Dean commented as he tossed the rag towards the table in frustration.

Bobby nodded as he thought to himself, _so are you_ as he told him aloud, "Give it a little more time."

"How can it…' Dean sighed again as he stood to start pacing back and forth in front of his baby before he continued, "How can he be perfectly fine one minute and unable to put two words together the next?"

Bobby studied Dean a few seconds before he said, "We were told it might take time for his soul and his body to reconnect. They were apart for a long time son."

Dean looked up as he stopped in mid step to ask, "But he will be alright?"

_Damn puppy dog eyes_, Bobby thought silently as he said aloud, "Yeah… I don't think Monks lie."

Dean licked his lips as he nodded before he turned and walked away.

Bobby watched him until he reached the front porch and then leaned down to pick up the tool Dean had thrown in frustration, _But hey_, he mentally shrugged to himself as he thought, _it was better than taking a crowbar to the impala again._

Dean walked into the house to find Boo waiting by the front door. When she saw him she meowed and then turned to head toward the stairs as she stopped and sat down to wait at the bottom step. He followed without hesitation, he'd learned his lesson with the whole meadow fiasco.

When his foot touched the bottom step she sailed to the top once again to turn to wait for him.

He blinked in surprise when she continued past their bedroom and to the stairs to the attic. "Up there?" He asked as he nodded to the stairs in question.

She meowed once and raced up them.

Dean walked slowly and silently up the stairs… he didn't want to startle Sammy if he was again contemplating something stupid. _Shit, he shouldn't have let Sammy out of sight this soon_, He silently berated himself.

As he reached the top he saw Sammy pick up Boo but continue with his conversation with… _Cas? What the fuck?_

"But… _how long_? And how can you be certain he can't come back?" Sammy asked, his tone hesitant and clearly scared.

_double fuck_! Dean got pissed as he clenched his fists while he waited for Cas' answer. Why hadn't Sammy talked to _him_ or even Bobby? _Why Cas_?

"The monk says you are whole." Cas said in an emotionless tone.

Sammy jerked before he said, "So, that means tha…" He stopped and his eyes widened before he tried again, "Tha…th.a.t he is in…in…he..he…here." Sammy slammed a fist into his chest.

Cas stared at Sammy for what seemed an eternity before he told him, "He has been beaten by you… _you_ won."

"Bu… bu…but." Sammy stuttered and then seemed to feel Dean's presence and looked at his brother as his face turned beet red.

"What Sammy wants to know is if Sam can come back, like a demon?" Dean looked at Sammy and gave a small grin. Sammy gave him in return an embarrassed smile.

"Sam was never a demon." Cas stated in a confused tone.

"Can he ever get back in the driver's seat?" Dean demanded the humor gone from his face in an instant.

"No." Cas said and disappeared.

Dean turned and sat down where Cas had been as he looked his brother over.

"K?" Sammy said in response to the scrutiny Dean was casting his way.

"What? Me? Seriously dude? I am awesome." Dean said with a dazzling smile as he slapped Sammy on the knee.

Sammy shook his head no and then buried his face in the fur at Boo's neck.

Dean sat a few seconds blinking his hand still resting on Sammy's knee.

"Sammy seriously, you're back, your alive and your emo again… what more can a man ask for?" Dean tried with another grin and a knee shake.

Sammy looked up and said very plainly, "Lisa and Ben."

"Well, I see you got your mojo back." Dean said a little sarcastically as he let his hand drop away, but mostly he was just relieved that it wasn't lasting as long each time now.

"Dean." Sammy said gently even as he scrutinized his brother's features.

"Sammy, I am where I want to be or I wouldn't be here…" Dean leaned forward as he looked Sammy in the eye before he added, "You got me?"

Sammy continued to stare at him.

"Sammy you can talk to me about anything." Dean told him softly before he added, "I do mean _anything_. You know that, right?"

Sammy just continued to stare at him not saying a word.

Dean's knee started to jump nervously so he stood and walked over to the little window that looked down over the yard.

They stayed that way for awhile before Boo wiggled her way out of Sammy's arms and ran down the stairs.

Sammy rubbed at his right wrist absentmindedly going back and forth over the D11 tattoo.

Dean smiled as he watched Sammy before he asked him, "Did you not realize that you are my D11 as well?"

Sammy jumped and then looked up at Dean he stared at him a few seconds before he asked, "What?" his brow furrowed with his question.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own the handsome devils... (sob)

**NOTE#1**: The last 2 days we have been having power outages and in the move I lost my surge protecter(so using just a plain power strip)=messed up computer. Turns out it fried a backup battery for my motherboard... so now when it gets shut down (power goes out) I have to reset my clocks manually on my 'puter or it won't let me online because it says internet certificates have expired and for "my protection" it won't let me go to any sites... like my email or FF or even facebook... UGH! I was ready to drop kick my 'puter until hubby figured out it was the clock thingy... so here I am finally! Thanks to everyone for the fab reviews! As always thanks for the favs and alerts!

Chapter 2

"You saved me by coming back to me Sammy." Dean smiled before he continued, "Even when I had finally broke and…" Dean shook his head as if to clear before he started again, "You are my D11... _My S11_."

"You're such a dork." Sammy snorted as he looked at Dean.

Dean frowned as he muttered, "_dork_?'

"_Chick_… maybe… would you like that better?" Sammy grinned at him as he waited for his big brother's reply.

"Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" Dean asked with a straight face and a serious tone.

"Dude." Sammy said as he stood and walked over to stand beside his older brother as he said, "You never needed the S11 system."

"Dude, _I so have_!" Dean argued with a tiny grin starting to form.

"Dean, you said you would use the S11 system if you needed my help. It would be ours… but I always used yours… _you never did_." Sammy said before he turned slightly pink and then focused his stare out the window.

"Sammy, it was my mantra a lot…" Dean looked Sammy right in the eye, "You just never could hear me." as he said quietly before he turned so Sammy wouldn't see his tears as he thought about the times he _had_ used it.

Sammy gave him a slight shake as he asked him, "Are you okay?"

Dean nodded as he swallowed hard and plastered a grin back on his face.

"U… huh." Sammy said in a tone that clearly said he didn't believe him.

"We better go see what Bobby is up to." Dean said changing the subject as he put his game face on.

Sammy shook his head as he smiled and then turned serious he said softly, "Dean, I'm sorry."

"Sammy." Dean said that warning tone back in his voice.

"I just wish that…" Sammy began only to be interrupted by Dean.

"Dude if you bring up Lisa and Ben again… I will dye your hair hot pink while you sleep." Dean threatened.

Sammy chuckled as he headed across the room.

"I'm serious man with purple highlights." Dean added with a slight shove to Sammy's shoulder.

Sammy turned around to stare at him, "Highlights… what the hell have you been doing in suburbia?" and then he ruined it with a snicker.

Dean raised an eyebrow as he snarked loudly, "bitch."

"Sounds more like you're the bitch, jerk." Sammy joked as he sidestepped out of the slap Dean had aimed at the back of his head.

"Man, I am so kicking your ass." Dean said with a laugh as he stepped up next to Sammy to walk beside him down the hall.

Dean looked up at Sammy to see his expressions change rapid fire from laughter to confusion to a shocked and finally scared look. "Sammy, what the hell?"

Sammy was frozen in place as he tried to say, "I… I…"

Dean stepped quickly in front of Sammy as he got closer to his brother he tried to read his face… eyes anything to give him a clue as to what was happening.

A tear slid down Sammy's cheek so reminiscent of the library incident that Dean grabbed Sammy by the arms, "Can you move? Is it Sam?"

Sammy gave one slight jerk of his head to the side before he started listing to the left and both went to the ground.

Dean held on as he maneuvered Sammy into his lap as he comforted him, "It's okay, little brother… it's nothing we can't handle."

Sammy made a strangled sound that sounded an awful lot like a sob to Dean.

"Sammy… the monk said give it time." Dean rubbed Sammy's chest as he held him close as he continued to talk, "We gotta plenty of that, huh? I mean we're retired… right? So just take your time, I'll be here."

Sammy sagged against Dean as his eyes started to close.

Dean flew into a full blown panic as he muttered while he gently tapped Sammy's cheek, "You aren't checking out on me… I need you… you hear me?"

"hear…" Sammy mumbled as he opened his eyes.

Dean grinned as he told him, "Good, cause I won't repeat it."

"Would too.." Sammy responded.

"What makes you think I would?" Dean asked softly.

"Ask…" Sammy sighed out in a bare whisper.

"Smartass. Yeah, if you asked I would." Dean agreed with a slight squeeze to encompass his brother. No, not a hug, a manly… man squeeze.

Sammy grinned as he sighed out, "See… told you."

"What the hell are you two idjits doing on the floor?" Bobby asked as concern dripped off him in waves.

They both grinned as Dean commented, "Really Bobby, when was the last time you swept under that loveseat?" he nodded towards the said seat across the hall from them.

Bobby studied him a moment, knowing that Dean was deflecting so Sammy wouldn't get upset.

"When was the last time you two helped with the spring cleaning?" He asked seriously.

"I was 12 and it was a nightmare." Dean said with a grin directed at Sammy and then a pretend shudder.

"Well, there you go." Bobby nodded as he came over to help them up.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own, not mine. #%##)! no, that didn't make me feel better... sandbox raid?

**NOTE#1**: Thank you so much for all the reviews and I must say: I am sooooooo sorry for the 7 pm post. I'll try to dodge the deserved bullets... so if I live through them I'll try my best to post earlier on Sunday... (Bats eyelashes and tries to look innocent) Smiles as well for the alerts and favs... Ya'll Rock, Winchester style! Yep, I went there! LOL... now on with the story...

Chapter 3

"So, what are our plans for the rest of the day?" Bobby asked as Dean led Sammy to the bedroom that they had shared since they were kids.

"I was thinking about taking a nap with Sammy here. He can't seem to keep his eyes open." Dean said as he sent a silent message along with his statement.

"I'm not a bab…ba…" Sammy stopped and sat down hard on his bed as he bowed his head so no one could see his tears. He couldn't even finish his sentence… _what the hell_?

"Sammy, I'm tired too. So, take a nap with me so I can rest. Ya know I sleep better when you're in the room… guess I'm just used to your snoring." Dean tried to joke as he patted Sammy on the shoulder and then went to sit on his own bed before he asked, "So?"

Sammy looked up and across at Dean, _he did look exhausted_… he nodded and with a smile Dean laid back and closed his eyes.

"I'll just go downstairs and when you boys wake up I'll fix dinner." Bobby said quietly.

Before Bobby made it to the door, Dean said softly, "Thanks, Bobby."

"No problem, kid." Bobby said with a smile as he left the room.

Dean lay still for a few minutes as he waited for Sammy to lay down. After another minute he opened his eyes and raised up to look at his little brother who was still sitting in the same spot staring into space.

When another minute passed and Sammy had yet to blink, Dean sat up. Still no movement from little brother so he stood. Still nothing. "Sammy?" Dean finally called out softly as his heart rate increased along with his panic level.

He knew Cas had said that Sam was gone, but he'd said that before and Sam had been hiding in the shadows of Sammy's mind. So he had a right to be on the edge of the freak zone. He went to his brother and knelt in front of him, he moved Sammy's head to the right then left as he studied him. No movement at all. _Okay, it was officially time to fuckin' freak_!

He thought wildly as he placed a hand on Sammy's cheek and squeezed his knee with his other, "Not funny, dude…" Dean said softly as he rubbed his thumb across his brother's cheek, "Come on, what's going on with you little brother?"

Sammy's eyes slowly closed as he started to lean on Dean's hand as he slumped forward.

Dean's heart raced as he quickly stood and laid Sammy back on his bed. His hands now pressed to wrist and chest as he checked pulse and breathing. Both appeared normal which had Dean sighing in relief.

"Sammy." Dean whispered as he patted Sammy's chest he sat down next to him to once again wait for his brother to wake up.

Sammy slowing came awake to a weight pressing down on his chest. Dean. He just knew Dean was close. _Gun oil_. He smiled as he opened his eyes to see Dean sitting beside him on the bed with his hand on his chest… _well, that explained the weight feeling_. His eyes were closed, head hanging down and he appeared to be asleep. He slowly reached out and touched Dean's arm. Nothing. _He was asleep… sitting up! What the hell_? He reached out and firmly grasped Dean's arm just above the elbow as he sat up. Once he started moving Dean startled awake and would have fallen off the edge of the bed if not for Sammy's grip on his arm.

Dean looked down at Sammy's grip on his arm and followed it up to Sammy's worried face. "Sammy, dude…" Dean breathed out in a sigh of relief.

"D… you okay?" Sammy asked, still holding onto to Dean's arm until he got a response he was happy with.

Dean slapped Sammy once on the chest as he said with his smile never waivering, "I am now."

Sammy frowned as he asked, "Why were you asleep sitting up? That's not…"

Dean shoved Sammy playfully back on the bed as he stood he told him, "Let's go see what Bobby's planning for food cause I gotta tell you, dude… I'm starving."

Sammy smiled shaking his head as he sat up and snarked, "When _aren't_ you hungry?"

Dean smiled down at him as he held out a hand to help Sammy up while he shrugged and made a face that indicated he wasn't sure.

Sammy muttered under his breath, "Jerk… you haven't been sleeping." He was worried about his big brother.

"What?" Dean asked as he studied Sammy.

"_I said_, jerk." Sammy said loudly before he added, "Getting deaf in your old age too, D."

"Too? Just what else do you think is wrong with me, bitch?" Dean snarked back as he gave Sammy a shove towards the door.

"Where do I begin?" Sammy asked and laughed out loud as he headed for the hallway.

"You are so paying for that… you get to help me change the oil in my baby after we eat." Dean said with a grin at Sammy's back.

"Dean you been working on her for a solid week… don't tell me you haven't already done that." Sammy commented with a glance over his shoulder.

"Ah, you think you know me so well." Dean joked back as he chuckled because _yeah that had been one of the first things he had done_.

"Just tell me I'm wrong." Sammy said as he reached the top of the stairs only to be shoved gently back as Dean started down the stairs first. He wanted to go down first just in case Sammy had a issue and fell. He just never knew when an attack would hit his little brother and he wanted to prevent any tumbles down the stairs.

"Hey, jerk. The food will still be there when you get there." Sammy commented with a huge dimple enhancing smile.

"Yeah, but will it by the time you get in there?" Dean joked as he reached the bottom and turned to wait on Sammy.

"Probably not, you pig." Sammy said with a straight face.

"Oink, oink." Dean commented as he turned as headed for the kitchen… _An hour at a time_. Not one day for them but one hour. He would count each hour a victory if they got through it with no side affects. It was a good thing they were retired, because it sure as hell wouldn't be safe for Sammy right now to be out in that world at the moment.

Sammy laughed at him, his pre-college laugh. It was good to hear. Dean joined in and they found Bobby in the kitchen fixing breakfast.

"Isn't it a little late for breakfast?" Dean commented because he remember Bobby saying he was fixing dinner.

"Have either of you had breakfast?" Bobby asked without looking at Dean.

"No." Dean answered for both of them.

"Well, then it's not too late for it, _is it_?" Bobby asked with a glance at the boys.

"Nope. I agree with Bobby." Sammy said with a smile cause he liked '_Bobby_' breakfasts.

"I thought you were going to wait for us to come down?" Dean asked with a slight push at the chair in front of him.

"Heard you moving around, figured it wouldn't be long before you trampled down stairs seeing how you're a bottomless pit when it comes to food." Bobby snarked.

"You know us so well, _Uncle_ Bobby…" Dean teased even as his eyes showed the love he had for the old man.

"idgits." Bobby muttered as he waved at Dean to get plates with his spatula. He turned back towards the stove so they wouldn't see his eyes tear up at the boys playful banter. He didn't realize how much he had missed it until he was hearing it again.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: So not mine… dang it to Hades front lines!

**NOTE#1**: I was remembering a conversation with my dear 'across the pond friend' Chessi and how she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to see tonight's episode of Season 7. So this is her pick me up from me… _just in case_! So, dudes… it's like a sandbox raid and chocolate… enjoy! As always I adore the reviews, favs and alerts! See ya Sunday!

Chapter 4

"Have you seen Boo?" Dean asked as he sat down at the table to wait for his food to be slapped on his plate by Bobby.

Sammy stared at him like he'd suddenly grown an extra head.

"What?" Dean asked as he smiled when the heaping spoonful of food slopped onto his plate.

"You hate that cat." Sammy stated finally as he held his plate up for Bobby to fill while he watched his older brother.

"I do not. We have an understanding." Dean stated as he shoved a forkful of gravy covered biscuit in his mouth.

"An understanding?" Sammy questioned as he ignored his food for the moment.

"Yep." Dean said around another mouthful of food.

"Ewh… dude… really?" Sammy commented with a tiny grin.

"What?" Dean asked innocently, his mouth widening at the look of disgust on Sammy's face. Such a classic bitch face that it had him instantly tear up. _Damn, when was he going to stop acting like a chick_? Out loud Dean popped off, "When did you slip me a chick Mickey, dude?"

Bobby looked shocked to see Dean was looking straight at him before he shot back, "Sorry Dean, that's the real you coming out, I forgot to slip you your manly Mickey this morning." and then he shoved a partial biscuit in his mouth to avoid the smirk trying to form at the scowl racing onto Dean's face.

Sammy threw back his head as he laughed out loud at Dean's expression.

Dean shared a surprised look with Bobby before they both wore matching smiles. It was nice to hear Sammy laugh.

Boo chose that moment to jump onto Sammy's lap and let him pet her a moment before she jumped onto Bobby's lap and then to the empty chair beside him to stand on her hind legs to look at the plate of scrambled eggs that no one had seemed to notice before. They were even more shocked when she stood like that and ate her eggs.

"Huh, Bobby?" Dean asked as Sammy stared from Boo to Bobby to Dean and then made the rounds again, "What the hell?"

"What? She likes them and they make her coat shiny." Bobby growled defensively.

"But… you gave her a plate at the table…" Dean clarified as he watched Boo wolf down her eggs as if she was afraid Dean would take them, cause he was the one she was watching.

Bobby raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"That's so not sanitary." Dean added in a huff.

Boo meowed at Dean while Bobby snorted then stated dryly, "Sanitary, huh? She saved Sammy more than once, that calls for an exception, besides it's only once in awhile and normally you boys aren't even around to know about it."

Dean frowned like he'd ate something nasty but stopped talking to resume eating.

Sammy asked quietly, "Why do you feed her eggs?"

Bobby told him with a smile, leave it to Sammy to want the why and how's of it all, "The vet in town is a friend of mine and Jodie's. He's aware of… _things. _He saw Boo last time he was here and told me plain scrambled eggs is a treat she would love so I tried it. It's made her coat even more shiny, don't you think?" He asked as he ran a hand fondly down her back.

Dean finished off his plate and stood as he mumbled about senile old men and crazy ass little brothers and headed for the door.

"Dean?" Sammy called out in a panic.

Dean turned quickly as he told Sammy with a smile, "Tuning up my baby remember?"

Sammy smiled as he relaxed visibly in his chair.

"When you're done… follow me out?" He tried to act like it was no big deal, but he really wanted to just hover over his brother and watch his every blink.

Sammy immediately stood as he told him, "I'm done now."

Dean looked at Sammy's almost full plate and shook his head, "No Sammy. Eat the food on the plate at least."

"Dean." Sammy whined as he looked at the plate and back to his big brother, then softly admitted, "I just want to be with you."

"Well hell kid. Why didn't you say so?" Dean said with a huge smile, classic heart stopper Dean all the way smile. Dean gently pushed Sammy back into his seat and sat down beside him once again.

He looked over at Bobby as he asked, "What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" as he tried to play down Sammy's comment so Sam wouldn't feel embarrassed. He watched out of the corner of his eyes as Sammy started to eat. He grinned.

"I'm helping out Rufus on a new case he's researching." Bobby said as he shoveled food into his mouth.

"Just research?" Dean asked as he arched an eyebrow.

"We're retired, aren't we?" Bobby questioned back.

"Yeah, supposedly." Dean snarked in return.

"We are boy. I'm just doing the research for him… remember we discussed me and Sammy researching while you work on cars and research when you have time?"

Dean gave a small grin as he said, "I'm not the old man here, _my memory _is perfect."

Bobby mumbled, "idgit" as he threw a hand towel at him.

Sammy dropped his fork as he mumbled, "I'm done now, Dean."

Dean turned and stared at Sammy before he said softly, "Let's get her done then, bro."

Sammy grinned before he looked at Bobby and asked, "Do you mind if I help D first and then you?" as he waited for Bobby's reply he fidgeted.

Bobby shook his head as he replied, "You can do whatever you want boy, Boo and I will be in the library_, huh girl_." Bobby said as he rubbed the top of Boo's head.

Dean stared at Bobby before shaking his head in wonder at a grizzled old hunter baby talking a cat.

Sammy grinned as he told Bobby, "K, if she wants out just let her out, would you?"

"Why? She can open her own doors." Bobby commented as he stood and started gathering plates of the table and putting away leftovers.

Dean called out from the living room, "By the way… letting the cat eat off the table… so not sanitary."

"Yeah, well… it's my table ya idgit." Bobby yelled back as he cleared the last of the dishes off the table. "Besides, " He added, "She wasn't eating off the table, she was eating off the plate."

Sammy asked, "Do you want me to help you wash those?"

"Naw." Bobby stated, "I'll just wash them when I'm cooking next… I gotta get on that research."

"You want me to help you first?" Sammy asked again as he hesitated at the doorway.

"Come on, Sammy. Get the lead out!" Dean yelled as the screen door slammed.

"Ya better hurry before he comes back to haul your ass out with him." Bobby grinned as he shooed Sammy out of the room.

After the screen door slammed for the second time Bobby looked down at the black cat staring back at him and stated, "You are no normal cat." He leaned down and looked in her golden eyes as he asked, "_Are you_?"

Bob stared a few seconds before she gave a single meow and licked her paw as she began to loudly purr.

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: So not mine but if they were… (sighs) Oh, where was I? Don't own. But if they gave them to me… I'd have a big party in my sandbox and… share! LOL…

**NOTE#1**: (Don't kill me til ya read the _whole_ chapter, K?) Well, I hope that everyone had a Happy Supernatural Day! (to quote hotshow) I know I did… and I want more! Caught myself watching Against the Wall and bawling like a baby as I told my husband, I hope they have a season 2. Can you believe he had the gall to laugh at me? Anyhow, down the business (I know, I know… I hear ya.) _LOVE, ADORE, Can't get enough_… reviews, favs and alerts! **So thank you all! **Air kiSSes!

Chapter 5

Dean was fidgeting at the front of the impala as he waited for Sammy to emerge from the cavernous old two story they officially now called home. He half ass laid tools on the work table to get ready to actually work on his baby. He realized suddenly that his heart really wasn't in it. He couldn't seem to take his mind of his little brother. He raised an eyebrow as he recalled Lisa and the truth goddess. He hadn't wanted to hear the truth from her... it had just worked out that way. He shook his head. Unhealthy relationship with his little brother. Yeah, _maybe_ but it what he had his whole life… all _they_ had was each other, their father and Bobby were family but it wasn't the same. So unhealthy or not he was keeping it and the pain in the ass little brother she'd been talking about.

He had already put the tools back and was taking huge strides back to the house, eating up the distance between him and Sammy. He hoped seeing his brother would ease the tightness of panic he was starting to feel in his chest. As he slammed through the front door once again he bellowed, "Sammy, I swear… a herd of old ladies are faster than you and they use walkers." He commented with a slight grin as he walked into an empty kitchen. _Huh_, he thought as he backtracked to the library where Bobby was perched at his desk behind a stack of books.

"Hey, Bobby have you seen Sammy?" Dean asked as he forgot to regulate the panic out of his voice.

Bobby's head jerked up with a stricken look on his face before he schooled it to a blank expression, "He was heading out to help you. Probably just missed each other, he's probably out there wondering where the hell his big brother is." Even as Bobby talked he stood and rounded the desk to grasp Dean's shoulder for a quick squeeze before he dropped his hand and added, "Let's go find our lost boy."

Dean smiled, he knew that Bobby was trying to be comforting but nothing would sooth the threatening tidal wave of panic except actually seeing an uninjured little brother. _So much for that _Dean thought wildly after thirty minutes of hunting his wayward Sammy had not turned up said little brother. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end as he snapped at Bobby, "Now what?"

As they stood in front of the porch to regroup Dean saw Boo push open the screen door and come out. As soon as she spotted Dean she made a beeline for him, wrapping herself around his leg and crying loudly.

"What the hell?" Dean growled looking down at the insane cat. He didn't have time for…

He suddenly knelt down and picked her up as he asked her looking into her eyes, "Do you know where Sammy is?"

He eyes dilated bigger as she meowed and struggled out of his arms and then raced back to the house stopping only once she reached the closed screen door.

Dean gave a quick look to Bobby before he was racing after the cat. After they gained the house she raced to the closed basement door and sat down to wait for Dean.

Dean sighed in frustration as he told her, "No… I don't have time for this. I've gotta find Sammy. Remember him? Humongous Man?"

She gave her head a shake before she slapped her paw at the door and meowed.

He sighed as he opened the door and turned away to continue to look for Sammy.

She launched herself at his back digging claws as he exclaimed, "I knew you were a fuckin' demon…" He tried to reach behind him to grab her.

She let go and pushed off him to land near the basement door once again.

He turned to glare at her as he snarled, "If Sammy wouldn't freak… I'd kill you."

She blinked at him then turned and took a step toward the basement.

He told her huffily, "He was coming out to the garage with me. Why would he go down there?"

She meowed and disappeared down the stairs.

Dean threw up his hands in disgust as he started to follow.

Three steps down and Dean froze as he eyes adjusted to the darkened basement. His heart stopped for several seconds before jumping up into his throat, threatening to cut off all breathing because laying at the bottom of the stairs in a unnatural heap was his little brother. The unmoving heap with a huge pool of blood haloing around his head.

As panic jolted him forward like a bolt of lightening hitting him in the ass he jumped the steps and landed next to his brother on all fours like a mountain lion as he roared for Bobby.

He shakily reached out and pressed his hand towards where Sammy's pulse should be as he closed his eyes for a fevered whispered prayer, "Please, please, please let him be okay." The begging evident in his tone as his fingers reached his Sammy's neck.

At the top of the stairs Bobby stood for a second as he took in the scene. How had Sammy slipped past him this way and not outside where he'd been headed when Bobby had went back to reading. He raced down the stairs as he yelled, "What the hell happened?"

Dean growled as he readjusted his fingers to try to locate a pulse, "You were in the house with him!"

"Yeah, well, I thought he was outside with you. I didn't hear anything." Bobby growled back as he knelt beside them and felt Sammy's wrist for a pulse. He sighed with relief as he felt a pulse under his fingers.

"Steady pulse." He commented as he noticed the freaked out look on Dean's face and how his bloody hands shook.

Dean didn't seem to hear him as he leaned in close to Sammy's lax face; he couldn't tell where the blood was coming from and Sammy's hair hid his eyes. Dean gently brushed back Sammy's hair as he barely whispered, "You can't keep doing this to me… I can't…" He stopped as he as he tried to regroup his thoughts, "Sammy?"

"Dean." Bobby said and then when he received no response, he tried in a tone close to John's military voice he'd used when he demanded undivided attention, "Dean."

Dean finally looked up at Bobby with a muttered, "What?"

"I don't want to move him… call 911." Bobby told him firmly.

"I… huh…" Dean seemed unable to focus.

"Call 911. I don't want to risk a spinal or neck injury." He didn't want to add to the fact that he hadn't regained consciousness the whole time they'd been with Sammy.

Dean jerked into motion patting himself down for his cell phone. Not finding it he racked his brain for where he could have left it. Then he remembered that he left on the front seat of the impala, not wanting to damage it while working under the car. _Of all the dumbass…_

"Dean!" Bobby yelled to get his attention, "You need to focus, boy. _I promise you _he will be okay." When Dean had finally focused on his face and was looking him in the eye he continued, "Ya hearin' me boy?"

Dean nodded as he mumbled, "I have to go get my cell it's in the 'pala…" Before he even finished Bobby had shoved his own cell phone at Dean.

Dean gave a grim smile before he opened the phone and hit 91 and Cas suddenly appeared startling Dean so much he dropped the phone.

"What has happened?" Cas asked as he knelt beside them he placed a hand on Sammy's head.

"You came? I didn't call…" Dean tried to talk to Cas but he couldn't seem to think coherently.

"You prayed Dean. I was sent to help." Cas said simply as Sammy began to moan under Cas' hand.

Dean reached out to move Cas away but Sammy whispered, "D?" Instantly Dean was at Sammy's level so Sammy could see him without moving.

"There are." Sammy told Dean faintly.

"Yep, right here… Question is where have you been?" Dean quarried as he tried to calm his racing heart.

Sammy blinked at him but didn't answer him.

"Sammy, what happened?" Dean asked softly as he watched his little brother.

"I… I…" Sammy scrunched his face up as he concentrated.

"It's okay little brother." Dean said rubbing his back gently.

"Can't… 'member." Sammy stubbornly struggled to get out.

Dean looked over Sammy to Cas.

Cas nodded as he told him, "He is safe to move."

"Okay, little brother… are you ready for this?" Dean asked as he got himself up into a kneeling position while keeping one hand on Sammy at all times. He felt they both needed the contact.

"No." Sammy replied honestly.

Bobby chuckled in relief only to have Dean glare at him to which he replied, "If he can tell you no it's a hell of a lot better than a few minutes ago."

To which Dean paled instantly as he reached again for Sammy with both hands.

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: Don't own, but give me a sandbox and a Winchester and I'm happy with the borrowing! (Raises an eyebrow to go with the wickedly evil smile)

**NOTE#1**: Thank you all so much for the reviews, favs and alerts! Also, thanks for the smiles and the friends I've made along the FF journey. I'm sorry for the late posts, my sleeping is all out of whack and late posts are unfortunately a side effect... well, anyways... enjoy!

Chapter 6

After Dean and Bobby got Sammy upstairs and settled on the couch, Boo suddenly appeared seemingly out of nowhere to lay beside him on the couch.

Dean chose to ignore her for the time being as he sat on the other side of Sammy and asked Cas, "What was wrong with him?"

"Broken neck, five inch gash on his forehead with brain swelling and a ruptured disk in his lower back." Cas answer was immediate and in that same emotionless voice he always used.

Dean gasped out as he hurriedly stood, "Well, don't sugar coat it for me." and then he dashed from the room, the screen door slamming a few seconds later.

Dean felt a hand on his back rubbing it in gentle circles, the same way he did Sammy. _Hell, he'd taught Sammy that_. He looked up from his position of throwing up on the front yard and smiled wanly at his little brother. "Hey, Sammy…" He said weakly before it registered_, Sammy… outside with him… after all that_… _what if Cas hadn't fixed everything_? And instead of helping said brother back inside which had been his plan when he jerked straight up like a puppet on a string, he staggered as he turned an amazing shade of green and started to throw up again.

"Damn, D… it's okay. I'm fine." Sammy told him softly, his hand stilled momentarily but never leaving his brother's back.

Dean straightened up angrily as he tried not to throw up again… _Damn if he wasn't going to have nightmares over this. _He snapped not in anger but in worry, "Why were you down there? _You were suppose to be with me_." He couldn't keep the slight accusatory tone out of his voice.

Sammy seemed to think about it a few seconds before he shrugged and said, "Can't remember."

Dean growled in frustration when he pulled him close for a quick hug while he mumbled near Sammy's ear, "Don't do that again. I can't take it." Dean stepped away after Sammy returned his hug and told a stunned Sammy, "Bobby's probably threatening Cas. We better get back in there."

Sammy nodded with tears in his eyes, _He always managed to hurt his brother_. How could he

stop that from happening? He wondered silently.

_A simple fall_? Dean wondered only to quickly realize he didn't think so. _There was so much damage_… his steps faltered as he suddenly felt dizzy.

"Dean, dammit… _that's it_." Sammy growled as he took his brother's arm. "You're going to go upstairs and rest even if I have to drug you." He promised as he held open the screen door for his older brother.

Dean stopped and turned to look at Sammy as he told automatically, "I'm not tired. I'm fine."

Sammy grabbed him by his shirt as he told his brother when he pulled him close to say softly… urgently, "You think you're the only one of us that can't take loosing the other one?"

Dean paled as he stared at his little brother.

"I love you, man." Sammy whispered as he tried to keep the tears at bay.

Dean swiped a hand across his mouth as he brought his other hand up to rest for a second on Sammy's. Finally he told him quietly, "You have to stay with me… I don't want to be alone either." Blaring loudly even though unsaid, _I love you too_.

Which made Sammy feel a little guilty for what he was about to do. Not enough to _not _do it though. Sammy smiled and gave a slight nod.

It took Dean a second to realize it wasn't at him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw fingers coming at his forehead. _Shit_! His panicked brain realized he was about to get angel whammied again. He was going to kill them both for this! _How could he protect Sammy if he was out cold_?

Bobby and Sammy had a long discussion about the state Dean's temper would be in once he woke up. Sammy knew that Dean would be pissed, but he also knew he could reason with him. How he could mention Dean would do the same in his shoes and Dean's temper would deflate as quickly as a popped balloon. **Because it would be true**. _He knew Dean_… he smiled over at his sleeping brother and focused once again on Bobby.

Bobby sighed as he commented, "Getting either of you to rest when the other is under the weather… _just lay down and sleep a few_. I'll watch your sixes."

Sammy was already shaking his head as he looked again at Dean, "_I_ need this. He does too."

"You both are a matching set of stubborn…" As he stopped for breath Sammy butted in to comment.

"Winchesters?" He quipped.

"Jackasses… _Don't like that one_?" Bobby commented after the sour look Sammy gave him he added, "How bout idgits, then?"

"FINE…" Sammy drawled out dramatically, "If it will shut you up…" He grinned at Bobby as he climbed in the bed next to Dean. He knew Dean would sense if he moved to the other bed and wake up just to locate him. "But only two hours. I want to be awake when Dean wakes up."

Within seconds both boys were sleeping soundly. He sighed wearily as he watched them. He'd talked to Cas while they had been outside. Cas had informed him Sammy would have died if he hadn't healed him. He scrubbed at his face, he damn sure wasn't letting that tidbit slip to either boy. _Couldn't they just catch a break? Retire in peace? _He snorted to himself at his silent questions. He already knew the answers to those questions and it sure as hell wasn't yes.

It was almost four hours later before he saw any movement from either brother so he was actually relieved that one of them was waking up. Then he frowned because _shit_, they needed more than four measly hours of rest after all his boys had been through. He thought about calling Cas to whammy Dean again or maybe both of them. Yeah, he smiled those two getting a full night of rest nightmare free, that would be awesome. Because if he knew Dean he'd bet that hidden bottle of Jack that Dean was all primed to relive that scene in the basement for months. Just like the house fire when the boy so little, every time Sammy had gotten hurt severely, how his Dad treated him after Sammy left for college. That cabin, the car wreck and hospital after, the burning. Then back to Sammy with Cold Oak… he was suddenly jerked out of his memories as Sammy sat straight up and screamed, "_Dean_!" reaching out in front of him at some nightmare scene that only he could see.

Bobby blinked in surprise as he thought to himself, _and here I'd been worried about Dean's nightmares_. Even as he stood to calm him Dean had jerked awake and had Sammy in his grip. One hand on his forearm and one lightly tapping his cheek, "Hey." He said huskily, when it seemed that Sammy still wasn't focused on him but still in the nightmare, "Hey little brother, I gotcha! Hey…" He gave Sammy he slightly harder tap on the cheek.

Sammy's eyes widened as he reached over Dean's shoulder and screamed again as he suddenly raised up on his knees and tried to scramble out of bed passed Dean.

"What the hell?" Dean growled as he placed himself on his knees in front of Sammy and grabbed him in a one handed bear hug. He reached up and slapped Sammy and then waited.

Sammy's hand slowly lowered and moved to his cheek as a shudder ran through him. He slowly moved his head to stare at Dean. His eyes finally enlarged wildly as he recognized Dean in front of him, "Dean, _thank God_!" He breathed as he pulled him into a bone crushing bear hug of his own.

Dean managed a weak, "Dude, can't breathe."

Sammy gasped and released him enough to look him in the eye and study him as he asked urgently, "You okay?"

"Uh… Sammy… you are the one that got hurt." Dean said softly as he wondered what the heck was happening.

"No… no… _you_. I… uh…" Sammy stopped and paled before he launched himself at Dean and pried back his upper lip. Sighing loudly in relief at seeing normal Dean gum line.

Dean slapped Sammy's hand way as he mumbled, "Dude, really? What the hell is wro…" He stopped in mid sentence as he realized the cause of Sammy's distress. He blamed the overlong response time on his part solely on Cas with a side order amount on Sammy. "_Awh, Sammy_." He grabbed Sammy by the neck and pulled him close to him as he murmured softly, "I'm fine."

Silent tears ran down Sammy's cheeks and he collapsed on Dean's shoulder. After a few seconds of Dean rubbing circles on Sammy's back he said quietly, "The alley?"

Sammy nodded into Dean's shoulder.

Dean knew he'd wanted that kind of guilt from RoboSam but it had no place here. He said for his brother alone, "I'm fine, little brother. We made it through that and we'll make it through this."

Sammy shoved himself back as he angrily asked, "Why should you ever have to go through that kind of pain Dean? All because I'm a freak…"

"Hey!" Dean snapped warningly, _nobody called Sammy a freak but him_.

"Dean, I'm tired of you getting hurt all the time because of me." Sammy said as he softened his tone.

"Sammy I'm your brother and I'd walk through fire for you!" Dean stated adamantly.

"You already have." Sammy said as he deflated once again head bowed as he sat dejectedly on the bed.

"Well, so have you… _for me_." Dean said as he tilted his head slightly to the side as he watched Sammy.

Sammy looked up as he asked through his tears, "Why are you still here? I have hurt you so much…"

Dean smiled as he told him honestly, "For this right here."

Sammy frowned as he repeated, "For this?"

"Yeah. " Dean nodded solemnly as his smile broadened. "Yeah for every single chick flick infested moment of you… with your heart… and tears on your sleeve."

"What?" Sammy asked confused.

"You _back_… is worth everything." Dean told him bluntly.

Sammy shook his head no, which caused Dean to smile broader, "_See that right there_. I need that."

Sammy finally gave a small grin as he volunteered, "I need you."

"bitch." Dean said affectionately.

Sammy looked at him through his too long bangs as he muttered back, "jerk."

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: I'm suppose to be nice and say not mine AND sorry for borrowing them from the sandbox but _I'm not suppose to lie_… LOL, no I am not the lucky bastard that owns them… too bad…

**Note1#**: I thought I had posted early Wednesday… being before 10 or 11 in the morning but it showed that it was posted after 5 pm… _No, time difference on the posting never occurred to me_… I was busy thinking about … um… _never you mind_ what I was thinking about… (evil grin) So, I posted before going to bed from Sat night it is 2:32 am here…

**So this is an early posting in celebration of my adopted daughter's birthday! Happy 15th**** Jo! **Thanks as always for the awesome reviews and of course favs and alerts! Enjoy!

Chapter 7

Suddenly something close to a sniffle was heard by both boys. They quickly found Bobby frozen by the bed with his gaze locked on them. He gave a embarrassed grin as he continued to stare at them. "I wasn't eavesdropping… I was here watching sixes while…" He rushed out before he cleared his throat, obviously made uncomfortable by the return stares he started to talk again, "I didn't want to interrupt you two idgits."

Dean turned slightly red when he tried to make light of the situation by giving a flippant reply, "So I love my jerk of a little brother, secret's out." Dean spared Sammy a grin.

Sammy beamed brightly at his big brother. Dean still loved him after _everything_. He felt suddenly off kilter as he slid sideways onto the bed. Next thing he knew Dean had a hand pressed to each cheek and was shouting at him, "… _hear me_?"

"Yeah… why'd you move the bed?" He tried feebly to joke as he continued to lay there and stare up at his big brother.

"Dude, _shit_." Dean snapped as he moved back and ran a hand through his hair as he tried to regain his composure. This shit… _fine one minute and not the next was driving him crazy!_

"I'm fine, Dean." Sammy told him in classic Dean fashion as he added a small smile to try to ease the worry lines that seemed to be a new added feature to his big brother's face. _Caused of course by him_, a tiny voice added. He flinched at the comment only he could hear and received an odd look from Dean.

"We are a lot closer to nearing fine than we were but we still have a little ways to get there." Dean said as he slid off the bed and continued to watch him.

Sammy studied Dean as well as he tried to lighten the mood of the room when it suddenly dawned on him that Bobby was no longer there. Good a time as any to ask what was on his mind, "Dean are you happy?" Sammy asked as slowly sat up and looked through his bangs while he continued, "I'm mean really?"

Confusion skittered like lightening across Dean's face as he tried to determine what Sammy was trying to _really_ ask.

Sammy bit his lip as he looked away.

Dean scrubbed at his mouth a couple of times with his hand as his other hand retrieved the chair that Bobby had previously vacated. He plopped down and braced his elbows on his legs to lean forward before he chose to speak, "Now that you're back…" He braced himself as the chick flick marathon that was quickly overtaking his life continued with him leading it this time, "_I'm peachy, bro_."

Sammy stood and walked over to the window to stare out it before he said softly, "Dean…"

Dean's heart started to beat a little harder… _a little faster_… this didn't sound like it was going _anywhere_ good.

"I called Lisa." Sammy said without looking at Dean just stiffened slightly as he waited for Dean to explode.

Dean slowly stood as he blinked rapidly while his mind raced to telegraph, _this was so much worse than he thought_ but he said aloud, "What?"

"I called Lisa." Sammy repeated, wincing slightly at the ragged intake of breath coming from Dean.

"_Why would you do that_?" Dean whispered hoarsely as he sounded hurt and angry all rolled into one.

"You weren't going to." Sammy flatly stated still not looking at Dean.

"_Fucking right I wasn't_." Dean snarled as he slammed a hand through his hair. _God, he really couldn't believe this shit_! Aloud he growled in anger, "Sammy you had no right, it was none of your business."

"Actually." Sammy started to say as he turned to stare at Dean intently, "I have every right."

"How to you figure that, _Sam_?" Dean had intently made sure not to call him Sammy, but Sam.

So that alone let Sammy know just how pissed Dean was at that moment. Sammy sighed sadly before he jumped in with both feet, "Because I sent you there in the first place. Then after you had moved on with your life I came in like a tornado and ripped it apart… _again_. Then I let you get turned… that is what happened to you and Lisa… _me_. It's my fault."

"No. You only asked me to go the rest is on _me_." Dean corrected his little brother.

"You would never have been in the position to hurt them if I had never shown up." Sam stated flatly.

"_Sammy_." Dean warned as he took a step closer.

"I told her everything." Sammy said quickly before he lost his nerve not realizing he had taken a half step back… _away_ from his pissed big brother.

"_Everything_?" Dean asked as he stepped even closer to Sammy.

Sammy nodded as his hair swayed back and forth at the vigorous shaking of his head.

"Why the fuck would you do that? Don't you remember Cassie?" Dean snarled.

"She's not Cassie." Sammy stated quickly.

"No, she's just…" Dean snapped but stopped and rubbed his face, hard. He closed his eyes and concentrated on not killing his little brother. _This had been what he'd wanted back so badly_, he grimly reminded himself. The little brother that wore _everything_ on his sleeve. His very own Mr. fix-it.

"Just?" Sammy asked softly unaware on the war raging in his brother.

"_She's just a dream_… that whole life, that's all it ever was. _Let it go, man_." Dean sighed suddenly once more bone weary.

"She wants to see you." Sammy admitted softly.

"_Fuck no_, Sam! It's done. She _ended_ it. It's what's best." Dean said with finality.

"But she understands it wasn't your fault and she's willing…" Sammy tried again only to stop when Dean charged him.

Dean was across the room in two steps and had his brother against the wall beside the window having resisted the urge to throw said little brother _through_ the window. He questioned Sammy, "And who's fault is it?"

Sammy clamped his lips tight and looked away.

Dean studied his baby brother and as he looked at him his grip loosened. He asked again in a more gentle tone as he brushed away the wrinkles in Sammy's shirt with his hand before focusing once more on Sammy's face, "Who's fault was it Sammy?"

"_Mine_." He half sobbed as he tried to pull away from Dean and put distance between them.

"Wrong little brother…" He gripped Sammy's neck as he pulled him down until they were forehead to forehead.

"You're not to blame, not for any of it." Dean told him even as he felt the shiver that went through his brother when he tried to hold back a sob.

"I keep hurting you… _I should_…" Sammy stopped and tried to pull away.

Dean made a grab for his little brother as he yanked him back by his shirt. Then he swung Sammy around to face him as he told him, "I need you around to be happy. I've lived in both worlds. _Okay_, I created a life with Lisa and Ben but _Sammy_ it was a house of cards. _It wasn't real_. I missed you every damn minute of the day." He gave Sammy a shake by his shirt as he continued, "Me and you little brother, we're real. Together… _that makes me happy_. You whole and corny as hell, bitch. That's the life I pick… every damn time… _you get me_?" Dean asked sternly.

Tears burned a path down Sammy's cheeks as he murmured, "You make me happy too." Then he looked up and grinned as he whispered, "jerk."

"Damn if you boys aren't the living soap opera from hell." Bobby commented in a growl from the doorway.

Dean grinned as he opened his mouth to make a snide remark only to have Bobby stop him cold as he told him, "Lisa and Ben are here."

Dean went cold as he froze and then gasp out, "What? _Why are they_…" He started only to interrupt himself to ask, "Sammy when did you call her?"

"Uh… _today_? I think… before I fell." Sammy had also paled as he answered Dean.

Dean's lips thinned as he said grimly, "I will take care of this, _but _don't ever do this again." Then he turned back to Bobby, "How long has she been here?"

"A couple of hours. Told her you were sleeping. She demanded to stay… so get your ass down there…" Bobby demanded as he added angrily, "One more minute of a bawly woman and I may kill you both." He said pointing crankily at the Winchester boys.

Sam cleared his throat as he said shakily, "I think I'll just wait here." and then he turned to step towards the window again.

"_Oh no you don't_." Dean snapped as he grabbed him by his shirt. "You can help entertain Ben while I explain things to his mother."

"But… they… _they_ hate me for taking you away." Sammy whined as he tried to pull free.

"No they don't." Dean argued as he pulled him toward the door.

Bobby growled as he turned to head back downstairs, "I haven't been able to do any damn research all day."

**TBC**

**NOTE#2: **Hey, Ziggs: I, Queen of the Midnight Raids dub you Commander of Operation Save our Boys or fondly called O' SOB! Throws a licorice stick at your shoulder! (LOL)


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: So, um… I'm suppose to say not mine, I don't own own, blah, blah, blah… You know it just as well as I do so um, yeah, there ya go.

**NOTE#1**: Okay, no one freak out yet… (holds hands up as backs into the corner of the boys room ~wiggles eyebrows) I wanted closure. So I closed it. Besides I really didn't have a choice, plot bunnies attacked me…(smile)Thanks everyone for the reviews, favs and alerts… I adore them!

Chapter 8

As Dean made his way down the stairs followed closely by Sammy he really thought this meeting would never happen. But he should have known _his Sammy _wouldn't leave well enough alone if he thought he could fix something he _thought_ he'd broken. Especially if it involved big brother.

Dean shook his head as he reached the bottom of the stairs. This was _not_ going to be easy, it was like salt in the wounds for everyone. He stopped in the doorway as he looked at Ben fidget on the couch and Lisa with her arms wrapped around herself as she stared out the window. They had been his for so short a time that it seemed like one of his secret dreams of normal.

He leaned against the door frame as he said softly, "Well, _what a surprise_… You look well." He watched Lisa stiffen before she turned slowly to study him while she stayed in the same place.

"Sam didn't tell you he called?" Lisa asked looking confused.

Ben stopped chewing on his fingernail long enough to say bluntly to Dean, "You look like shit… at least with us…" Ben shouted before he stopped himself and jumped up to storm from the room. He shoved past Dean to leave before he slammed his way outside.

Dean gave Lisa a pleading look as he watched her she smiled sadly at him.

He stepped toward her into the room as he said gently, "Lisa." Then he sighed as he told her, "You walked away… _clean_. Why did you come here?"

"Dean." She said even as she laughed harshly before she continued, "It's been anything but clean."

"But your free…" Dean argued as he saw out of the corner of his eye Sammy slink past him to go outside to watch Ben like he'd had asked him to.

She laughed bitterly as she told him, "Your brother explained all of it. Why didn't _you_?"

Dean was to her in a couple of steps as he took her by the arms he told her, "I brought danger into the home we made almost hurting you and Ben. _I can't live with that_. It's better this way."

"I don't agree Dean. We can make it work." She told him as she felt herself almost beg.

"I'm so sorry that Sammy called you." He began only to have Lisa interrupt.

"Well, I'm not." She dropped her hands to her side as she said softly, "I see what you mean about Sammy though."

"What?" Dean asked confused at the abrupt subject change.

"He reminds me of a puppy." Lisa admitted with a tiny smile.

Dean threw back his head and laughed.

"I understand now, Dean. I just wanted you to know." Lisa cautiously placed a hand on his chest as she added, "We can all be a family…" she paused before she added, "the five of us."

Dean frowned as he questioned, "Five?"

Lisa smiled broader as she said, "Me, you, Ben, Sammy and Mr. Singer."

Dean was already grabbing her hand and as he held it for a second as he told her, "Right now, I need to focus on Sammy and I can't… _I can't _be that selfish to you and Ben."

She jerked her hand away and slapped him on the chest, "You are an idiot, Dean Winchester."

"Probably." Dean agreed with a shake of his head.

"I made a promise to you brother." Lisa stated clearly as she crossed her arms across her chest again.

"What?" Dean asked because he had that confusion spider crawling around on his skin making his whole body tingle not allowing him to follow the conversation that she was jumping from subject to subject in .

"I made a promise to him if anything happened… I would take care of you and Mr. Singer." Lisa admitted with an upward glance at him.

"His name is Bobby and what did Sammy… _what else did he say_?" Dean asked worried that the kid had some weird idea of how he was going to right his wrong that only he thought he was responsible for.

Outside was a little more frigid as Ben glared at Sammy angrily, "Why did you have to come back and take him away?"

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone." Sammy told him sincerely.

"Well, _you did_." Ben snapped as he took a step back from Sammy he told him, "He was the closet thing to a dad I ever had and _you_ took that from me."

Sammy sighed heavily as he told Ben honestly, "I never wanted that for anyone."

"Why ask him to come to us only to take him away a year later?" Ben growled as he threw a rock and he flinched as it bounced off the impala's grill.

"I…" Sammy started to say only to stop and grab at his chest, a look of surprise racing onto his face that quickly morphed into a _this hurts _look.

Ben looked back to see why Sam had stopped talking and his heart jumped to his throat as he thought how Dean would hate him if he killed his little brother. He wondered randomly if words could actually kill as Ben ran back to Sammy who was now on his knees gasping for breathe. When Sammy landed in Ben's lap a few seconds later no longer gasping for air, no longer even looking like he was breathing Ben started to scream for Dean.

A few seconds after that Dean was lifting Sammy away from Ben and lay him flat on his back.

Ben was babbling about not meaning to kill Sammy and finally Dean snapped, "Ben!"

He stopped instantly and stared at Dean wide eyed.

"What happened?" Dean asked as he felt for a pulse and got ready to perform CPR. He couldn't freak in front of Ben. So he pretended calm like he did the year he lived with them.

"He… I threw a rock and hit the impala and I was mad at him for taking you away…_ I didn't mean_…" His words coming out as jumbled as they were in his head.

"It's not your fault." Dean stated automatically not really listening as he started CPR he silently panicked that it seemed to be getting worse instead of better. Sammy was suppose to be reconnecting with his body… A litany he didn't realized he was muttering aloud was really unnerving the people around him as Lisa looked toward the house and Bobby who was currently running toward them.

"What the hell happened?" Bobby growled as he landed on his knees next to his boys.

"Sammy, _come on_… breathe… _come on_, man… _don't do this to me_." Dean begged as he tilted Sammy head back and blew the necessary breaths into his brothers still lungs.

After what seemed like an eternity Sammy coughed weakly and sucked in a tired breath.

Dean pulled Sammy up into his arms as he declared in a heartfelt moment of truth, "I am not letting you out of my sight again. God, _you scared the shit out of me_, little brother."

At that statement Lisa seemed to realize the connection between Dean and his brother, the little boy Dean had raised since he was four. She couldn't step in between that. She wouldn't no matter what Sammy was trying to do. Sammy loved Dean as much as Dean loved him and he had come the long way home.

Dean started leading Sammy into the house absentmindedly he rubbed the top of Ben's head as he passed.

He took Sammy straight back upstairs and pushed him gently on the bed. A few seconds after Sammy was asleep. Dean sat down beside him on the bed and gently pushed back Sammy's bangs. Silent tears fell unheeded down his face as he stared at his little brother, _the idiot_.

He was going to be Sammy's shadow for the foreseeable future and when he wasn't Sammy's he would make sure Sammy was his. Joined at the hips, it would drive his little brother nuts.

He watched his hands shake as he reached out to place a hand on Sammy's chest.

They were going to make it, _period. _He'd be damned… _shit_. Sammy thought he was going to die and he wanted Lisa and Ben to be there to pick up the pieces again and Lisa had instantly promised. _She hadn't even hesitated_.

Well, he apparently needed to talk to Cas and find out what the hell he'd told Sammy in the attic. _Because Sammy_… he stopped as he ran an hand over his mouth he stared at his little brother.

_It just wasn't a fucking option_. He thought vehemently.

**TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: Don't own anything but the sand in my own sandbox… how sad is that? Sob…

**NOTE#1**: Sorry about the late post. A week long migraine coupled with two great kids (my great niece and nephew) that I was watching while trying to make a gallon of white pepper gravy with sausage and about 60 homemade buttermilk biscuits from scratch before my company left to go back home ate up my morning. Let's just say I had flour EVERYWHERE! So, I want to say thank ya'll for the reviews, favs and alerts! I love them!

Chapter 9

Hours had passed with no noise from the bedroom and when Bobby couldn't take it anymore he headed up to just peak in; to make sure they were okay. _He wasn't a doting old man and he'd kick anyone's ass that even suggested it_, he thought randomly as went up stairs.

Lisa and Ben had left a couple of hours before after telling Bobby if they ever needed her to call… _Yeah, like that would happen_. Dean had made his choice to walk away to keep them safe. Well, she had given up and Dean had let her. But in her defense she hadn't been told everything and when Sammy had talked to her she had come running, her boy in tow.

Bobby shook his head as he wondered if Dean even remembered she was here with him being so focused on his little brother.

Looking into the bedroom he wasn't surprised to see Dean asleep his head resting on Sammy's arm. He was though to see Sammy staring at him with a tiny grin as he put a finger to his lips to silence Bobby. Boo raised her head from Sammy's stomach to stare at Bobby as well.

Bobby grinned and pointed down to which Sammy responded with a wider grin.

Bobby headed back down to finally work on that research for Rufus. It was about a town called Lucky Springs in North Dakota that was having an awful run of bad luck, like 10 years only it seemed to be escalating in the last 3 months to anyone that had contact with that town. There seemed to be 3 stages of the bad luck. The last one was bad luck enough to kill you. It seemed to be centered around two families though. So he was thinking maybe a curse of some kind? As he sat down at his desk and pulled his handwritten notes toward him he looked over them again. One family was Greek, the Theodorakis' and the other was Romanian, the Cobzaru clan. The farthest thing back he could find, what he thought _could_ be the start of the bad luck was the death of one Cezar Cobzaru, the patriarch of the Cobzarus'.

He rubbed tiredly at his face, _Damn if it hadn't been a long ass day_.

As he dozed off staring at the notes he startled awake and sat straight up with a _hell, no _echoing through the room.

He stood up as he called Rufus so he could pace while he waited for him to answer.

After about 10 rings, when Bobby was about ready to hang up and head out Rufus answered. He immediately demanded, "Where the hell are you?"

"Well, hello to you too Bobby…" Rufus stated sarcastically.

"I asked you…" Bobby snapped as he paced.

"I know. I heard you. You got my research for me?" Rufus asked as he ignored Bobby's angry blustering.

"Don't change the subject you ass, answer me!" Bobby demanded crankily.

"I'm in Lucky Springs." Sighed Rufus.

"You are one dumb son-a-bi-" Bobby growled.

"Hey, now, that's my momma you're snarling about."

"You went there with no research and you expect me to come bail your ass out… What part of retired ya not understanding?" Bobby demanded to know.

"The retiring part. Bobby…" Rufus retorted.

Bobby interrupted him as he snapped back, "The boys need me, Rufus. You have made it to where I have to come fix this, because drawing me in has put the boys in danger. Remind me to beat the living shit out of you when I get there! I can't help but think you knew that when you called me from there to help. You could have just fuckin' asked!"

"Retired, Bobby." Rufus sighed out.

"You fuckin' jackass!" Bobby snarled. "Do you realize that Sammy almost died because you had an idea what the risks were already and you didn't tell me!"

"Yeah but you guys are buddy buddy with an angel, he fixed him right?"

"That is so not the damn point. The hell with it, I'm bringing my damn shotgun and shooting your ass full of rock salt! I'll shove that shotgun so far up your…" He broke off, took a breath and started over, "Nobody and I mean nobody puts my boys in danger on purpose and doesn't get to feel my retribution."

"Oh, so Roy and Walt… that _was_ you?" Rufus questioned in an amused tone.

"I never said that." Bobby stated sullenly.

Rufus laughed as he told Bobby, "I'll see ya soon."

"I'm going to kill you Rufus." Bobby vowed softly.

"Okay." Rufus replied as he hung up with a chuckle.

Bobby was still cussing as he loaded his charger. He was going to have to convince Dean to stay; that this was routine. No hunting for Bobby. _Still retired_. So caught up in his musings that he startled so much he jumped when Dean asked curiously from behind him, "What cha doing?"

Bobby sighed in relief that he already packed his weapons bag in the truck. "I'm meeting up with Rufus to give him the research."

"Can't you do that over the phone?" Dean glanced into the backseat of the car before looking back up at Bobby, "I thought we were strictly research now?"

"I am. _We are_." Bobby looked at him then down as he told him, "I will be back first thing in the morning."

"Bobby," Dean said as he tilted his head to the side watching his surrogate father as he asked quietly, "you'd tell me if something was wrong, _right_?"

"Of course, boy." Bobby agreed and then grasped Dean's shoulder to give it a quick squeeze. As he dropped his hand and stepped away he said softly, "There is only one thing that would make me come out of retirement."

"_What's that_?" Dean asked as he watched Bobby closely.

"If you boys were in danger." Bobby said firmly as he looked Dean in the eye.

"We're not." Dean stated flatly, glancing over his shoulder at the house before looking back at Bobby.

"Well then…" Bobby gave him a smile, "See, _I'm still retired _just like you boys."

Dean smiled even as his brows furrowed at the nagging feeling that crept into his very bones while he continued to study him intently.

Bobby looked Dean in the eye again as he told him earnestly, "You take care of each other while I'm gone."

Dean suddenly had a flashback of himself in a hospital bed and his dad saying something similar- the last time he saw his dad alive, "_Bobby_." it came out so soft Dean barely heard it himself, so he cleared his throat as he tried again, "Bobby."

Bobby turned back to look at Dean as he started to get in the car. He smiled at him and Dean staggered under the intense love he saw glaring at him from Bobby's eyes.

"Bobby we huh… we… huh… _just be careful_." Dean finally managed to get out.

Bobby smiled almost sadly at him as he told him, "Tell your brother to watch out for his lug head big brother… I know I don't need to tell you… but _you boys are like my own_. I…"

"Us too, Bobby… _us too_." Dean muttered… in his head he was thinking _we love you too_.

As Bobby pulled out of the driveway, Dean couldn't suppress the anxiety that was trying to explode out of his chest. He was worried and he wasn't sure why. If it had been Sammy from pre hell days he would tease him about his spidey sense because he couldn't shake the feeling something was up. Dean knew when something was up with _Sammy_, most of the time but Bobby was a first. As he wandered back to the house he wondered if Sammy was awake yet. Another thing he found strange was Bobby not waiting until Sammy was awake to leave. _Something was definitely up…_

**TBC**

P.S.- The last names of the families in the stories are really Greek and Romanian names. The name of the town… have no idea if there is really a town of that name in the state. ~iamtryN~


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer**: Um... let's see where's that paper?... jeez okay from memory then: _They don't belong to me. They belong to the fabulously awesome Kripke..._ (Owh... don't kick) _and equally awesome Gamble_... the point is: I don't own. (Pauses and glares at the kicker) Read between the lines... owh... (rubs shin) don't own...

**NOTE#1**: (Sheez-pointy shoes ya...) Oh, hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews, favs and alerts! I really appreciate them! I'm posting this before the doc appt in a few. Youngest has been exposed to mono, have to take her in and make sure she doesn't have it. (No she wasn't kissing- it was her nephew stealing drinks out of her cup) Anyway, hope you like... today is Wednesday, right? (Smiles) Enjoy the calm before the storm right?

Chapter 10

Boo tripped him on the way back up the steps to the porch. He wasn't even sure how she got outside. He didn't remember letting her out and he could have sworn she was sleeping beside Sammy when he left the room earlier.

He started cussing from banging his knees on the steps when he realized she was at the screen. _Shit! Sammy_. He took off at a stumbling run, knees forgotten as he yanked the screen door nearly off it's hinges as he hollered, "Sammy!"

"Here." He heard softly coming from the bottom of the stairs near the floor.

"What the hell happened?" He growled his voice tempered with worry as he knelt beside his brother currently sitting on one of the steps near the bottom holding the back of his head.

Sammy gave a slight shake of his head as he told Dean with a half grin, "I don't know, I was in the bedroom and I heard a car start. At first I thought it was the 'pala and I wanted to catch you and then…" He shrugged as his voice faded away.

"What?" Dean whispered as he did a quick check for injuries.

"I was sliding down several steps on my back, banging my head on each step. It was almost as if…" He turned slightly red and shook his head again as he clamped his lips shut in embarrassed silence.

Dean rubbed his hand in a circle on Sammy's back as he gently coaxed the answers he needed from his little brother, "I promise I won't laugh."

"It felt almost like someone grabbed my ankle and yanked me down the stairs." Sammy admitted quietly.

Dean looked pissed as he stood and helped Sammy up. He led him into the living room and over to the couch as he demanded, "Sit."

Sammy sat and then groaned as his sore back made contact with seat cushions.

"Sorry, Sammy." Dean commented as he grimaced at the discomfort he'd caused his brother.

"It's 'k." Sammy hissed through his pain as he looked around, "Where's Bobby?"

"He says he's taking Rufus research." Dean told him as he leaned in to check Sam more thoroughly for injuries. Checking ribs and arms, wrists hands.

"But you don't believe that?" Sammy asked as he let his brother fuss over him.

"Hell no. He's practically a Winchester. He's lying. I just don't know why." Dean told him as he stepped away to bring the first aid kit over and place it on the coffee table. Sitting down next to Sammy he pulled him gently forward and raised the back of Sammy's shirt. He whistled softly at the already discoloring bruises up and down his brother's spine. He reached out and barely touched one. He wasn't surprised when Sammy hissed in pain.

"Sorry. Just checking. Now move your hand so I can take a look at your head." Dean demanded in a gentle tone as he started to remove his brother's hand for him.

"No." Sammy snapped peevishly.

"Now who's two, dude. Let me see." Dean argued as he tried to pry away Sammy's hand.

"No. I'm fine." Sammy argued back.

"Obviously. I'll do whatever you want for the next…" Dean said as he looked over at the clock on the wall, " two hours and 43 minutes."

Sammy grinned as he asked, "Play cards?"

Dean nodded.

"Checkers?" Sammy asked as he thought of something else to ask.

"Yes. Sammy." Dean answered with a sigh.

"Chess?" Sammy asked with a smile, he knew Dean's dislike for chess it took too long to play.

Dean sighed, he hated playing chess it took forever and he always forfeited because of boredom. "Yeah, even chess."

Sammy's grin widened as he said, "Would you watch a movie with me?"

Dean grinned as he asked, "Monster Marathon? Sci-fi triathlon?"

Sammy's smiled now included dimples as he said, "Titanic."

Dean froze… _horror _was the only way to describe what he was feeling as he gasped out, "_Hell, no_…" then realizing his mistake he muttered, "Reflexes dude. Yeah even…_Titanic_… I said whatever you wanted. I meant it…" Under his breath, "Even if it kills me."

"It wouldn't kill you." Sammy giggled. An honest to goodness giggle.

Dean smiled as he looked at the goose egg that had formed on the back of Sammy's head. He commented, "You just better pick something that will keep us both occupied for awhile because you need to be awake."

"It's not even bleeding." Sammy complained.

"Sammy." Dean growled half-heartedly.

Sammy sighed as he said, "I don't think I can sit up…" At Dean's startled look, he corrected, "For a long period of time."

"Okay." Dean tried for, _nope, big brother is not worried at all _as he said with a huge smile plastered on his face, "I'll just prop you up in the corner and I'll pick the movie."

Sammy groaned as he whined out, "You said I could pick."

Dean laughed as he got Sammy comfortable and told him, "Chips, dip and beer run. Be right back."

"Dean, I can go too. You…" Sammy struggled to sit up as he tried to stop Dean.

Dean looked confused and then as he realized he corrected himself, "Kitchen dude, relax and figure out what you want to torture me with for the next three hours."

Sammy was feeling a little nervous about being by himself… He could have sworn a hand had been around his ankle and tugging him down the steps. It creeped him out, He knew Bobby though. Every known protection… anything he could think of was on or around the house. _So what the hell_? He was still deep in thought when Dean plopped down beside him. At his hiss of pain, Dean immediately apologized.

Dean was wondering what was up himself… with his brother and with his… Bobby. Sammy was freaked about being alone. So shadows it was. He finally looked at Sammy after setting all the stuff down and asking, "Well?"

Sammy grinned as he told him, "What about the Lord of the Rings Trilogy?"

Dean groaned as he commented, "Really? They are so long."

Sam nodded and Dean went to put the first one in the DVD player that was a new edition to the house. Bobby had bought it along with all the movies he remembered Sammy ever liking. Something about memory triggers.

As Dean settled back down on the couch he grabbed a beer Sammy asked, "Where's mine?"

"Hell, no. You get this." He handed him a bottle of Pepsi.

"Dude why didn't you just bring the milk? _You_ drink with concussions all the time." Sammy complained.

Dean looked at Sammy as he took a swig of his beer and then he commented, "Yeah well, I'm not my little brother."

Sammy gave him a pretend glare, because he really didn't care. Dean was sitting down doing normal stuff with him and it felt awesome. "jerk." He muttered and then took a swig of his Pepsi to hide his smirk.

Dean took another swig of his beer and as he lowered the beer bottle his smile was huge when he replied, "bitch." and then he settled back beside his brother to watch the movie.

**TBC**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Winchester anything. I do own the plot bunnies I'm currently chasing… that's it. Kripke and Gamble… lucky bas… their lucky… smiles…

**NOTE#1**: Thanks so much to all my FFF! New and old! I love the reviews, favs and alerts. I adore you all for giving me the chance to escape the crap shoot of life for a few moments and enjoy Winchester World.

**NOTE#2**: Okay, changed my file to rtf from wps... ugh! Let's see if this works? Here goes...

Chapter 11

Sammy smiled as he watched Dean nod off for the 3rd time during the second movie. It was time to put Dean out of his misery and wake him up. Sammy gave Dean just the slightest nudge to the ribs as he pretended to yawn, causing a hiss of pain which had Dean popping up on the couch with an automatic, "'K, Sammy?"

"Yeah." Sammy mumbled with another yawn, this one not pretend.

"Hey…" He waited for Sammy to look at him and when he didn't he repeated, "Hey… _don't do that_. Eat something... drink more caffeine."

Sammy waited for the perfect moment as he sighed and said, "This is boring… how about…" He yawned again as Dean stood.

"What?" Dean asked, ready to watch whatever boring shit Sammy had in mind.

Sammy smiled as he said, "Mad Max."

Dean's grin turned into a full blown killer Winchester smile as he clarified, "_The_ Mad Max?"

Sammy nodded and couldn't help the grin at Dean's enthusiasm, he remembered the first time Dean watched that movie. He thought Mad Max was super bad ass, to which dad replied, "Dean watch your mouth." He smiled at the memory which only grew wider as Dean said while he put the movie in the player, "Remember the first time we watched Mad Max… it was…" Dean stopped and silently finished with the movie, dropping the empty case on top of the TV. Walking back over he started to plop back down to suddenly halt in mid plop to gently place himself on the couch.

"Dude." Sammy showed his dimples as he told him gently, "You can say it… it was normal family fun."

Dean snorted as he retorted, "We never had normal growing up."

Sammy looked down and away as he thought, _Dean had had normal before he'd come along and ruined it_.

"Don't." Dean snapped not even bothering to look at Sammy.

"What?" Sammy asked confused.

"I know how your crazy ass mind works, little brother. _So just don't_." Dean growled as he turned intense green eyes Sammy's way.

Sammy looked wide eyed at Dean as he opened his mouth to argue.

Dean sighed dramatically as he demanded, "Tell me you weren't thinking I had normal until you came along and ruined it."

Sammy's mouth fell open in shock, _How did he always do that_?

"Close your mouth bitch, flies might mistake it for a landing strip." Growled his annoyed older brother.

Sammy snapped his mouth shut so quick his teeth clicked together.

Dean snickered as he snuck a glance at Sammy.

"jerk." Sammy replied and shoved an unsuspecting big brother practically off the couch before Dean stiffened and turned to slug Sammy lightly on the arm. Sammy laughingly rubbed at his arm as he watched his brother's relaxed smile come back.

"_Hey, Mad Max_…" Dean turned to stare at the screen and as Dean watched the movie, Sammy watched him.

They had not had a relaxing night of just being brothers in forever and Sammy didn't want it to end. Dean sighed as Mad Max ended and with a stretch and a yawn as he asked, "Another movie or what?"

"Dean you don't have to." Sammy knew he had to say it even though he was far from ready to end this seemingly magical night of brotherhood.

"What?" Dean looked at him with confusion blanketing his entire expression.

"The times been up for awhile." Sammy admitted.

"Maybe I just want to okay? Maybe I'm having a good time and you should just stop bitchin' about it and take advantage of it." Dean growled as he snuck a look at his little brother.

Sammy snorted and then couldn't hold the laughter back.

Dean glared at him incredulous as he told him indignantly, "I'm giving you a free chick flick moment and this is what you do with it?" He asked as he tried to keep a serious expression on his face.

Sammy studied him a few seconds before grinning as he told him, "Yeah, now pick a damn movie and stop bitchin' like a girl." and then he waited as Dean stood and went silently over to the TV and picked up the Mad Max case and suddenly chucked it at Sammy's head.

He laughed as Sammy's ducked and whined out a _Dean_.

"That's right, who's the bitch?" Dean asked with a smirk.

Sammy was laughing so hard he managed to snort out, "I may be a bitch but you are the reigning Prince of Jerkhood."

Dean started laughing as he retorted, "So are you the Queen bitch, then?" He asked pointing a movie case at him.

Sammy snickered as he replied, "King, Dean. King bitch."

Dean smiled as he asked, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah… I am." Sammy admitted as he continued to grin.

"Good." Dean said with a wicked smile.

Sammy looked at his older brother suspiciously as he asked, "What are you up to?"

"Nothing," Dean said innocently as he came over and sat back down and waited for Sammy to realize exactly what movie was in, "Oh, come on. The Titanic… _really Dean_?"

Dean burst out laughing as he said, "Well princess…"

"_Princess_?" Sammy repeated.

"I'm a prince, that makes you…" Dean was pointing at him when Sammy hit him in the face with a couch pillow.

"A prince?" Sammy snorted.

"Of jerk hood, remember? _And you say my attention span is short_." Dean growled as he tossed the pillow back at Sammy.

Dean got up and went in for part B of his fabulous plan of getting to watch another one of his movies and put the one in he really wanted to watch when he'd put in Titanic to mess with Sammy… _turnabout and all that_. He snickered as he sat back down and picked up his beer. As he was taking a swig Sammy muttered, "Wish I had some super glue."

Dean stopped in mid drink to stare at Sammy before he growled, "bitch did you just say super glue?"

"Actually I said Dean is a really super dude." Sammy said, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"bitch, that doesn't even sound the same." Dean muttered with a frown.

Sammy laughed so hard tears came to his eyes as he heard the movie start he looked through his tears at the screen. He sobered instantly as he asked, "A Western? Dude, _come on_…" in that Sammy's _really aggravated at your dumbass practical jokes, so fucking stop right fuckin' now _tone.

"Dude, it's '_Hang 'em High_.' It's a classic!" Dean said with a smile, _yeah, today was turning into one hell of a day_!

"Well is at least Clyde in it?" He muttered crankily.

"What? _Dude_. Come on. I raised you. _You know this_." Dean was going to gripe he could hear it in his tone, "_Clint Eastwood_… I mean that movie has an big monkey, this one has horses for shit's sake."

At Sammy's snort of laughter, Dean smacked him in the chest and accused, "You did know that."

"Yeah, but the look on your face…" Sammy paused dramatically as he added, "_priceless_."

**TBC**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the fab Winchester boys or anything except my autograph picture of Jensen AND that is so NOT the same thing at all! (sob) **Hey, wait a minute**!(cheers up) My great great... whatever. My grandfather was a Campbell and he traveled down Winchester Rd all the time... does that count? _Shit_! (Stomps foot) I didn't think so... kicks at empty can in the gutter and moves on down the sidewalk...

**NOTE#1**: Thank you all so much for the reviews, favs and alerts! I adore them all! Hope you enjoy...

Chapter 12

The early morning brought radiant golden rays through the living room window waking Dean as it twinkled in his eyes demanding he wake up now.

He sat up stretching and yawning before he opened an eye to check on Sammy. He choked on his next yawn as he noticed where Sammy had been all night was replaced by a black cat sitting there staring intently at him. He frowned as he looked down and asked, "I suppose you know where my little brother is?"

Boo blinked as she meowed.

_Damn_, he thought distractedly, _That sounded a lot like a yes_.

Boo jumped down and raced towards the kitchen which now that he was awake he could smell all kinds of goodness coming from. He thought as he stood up, _Bobby's back and making breakfast. Awesome!_

Walking in he said with a smile toward the figure standing at the stove, "You're seriousy spoiling us old man."

Stepping in and seeing only Sammy stopped him short as he asked, "Where's Bobby?"

"I don't know. I was hungry… thought you might be too." Sammy said as he smiled and then with a shrug pulled the last of the bacon out of the skillet.

Dean stuttered out, "But…"

"Dude, I use to cook for you and then I cooked for Jessica every Sunday." Sammy said as he watched Dean.

"But…" Dean managed to repeat.

"When Bobby's home he won't let anybody else do it and then if he's not here, you end up doing it. So, when I woke up and you were still asleep… thought I'd cook." Sam said matter factly as he shrugged yet again.

Dean shrugged back and said with a grin, "So what did you make? Just the bacon?"

"No, I made Banana Pecan Pancakes with homemade caramel to pour on top. Bacon and Eggs with bisquits if you don't want that." Sam recited patiently.

"Banana Pecan Pancakes? With homemade caramel? Where the hell did you learn to make that?" Dean asked in surprise.

"Jessica's sister showed me so I could surprise her on her birthday. The first Sunday I made them…" Sammy said softly with a bittersweet smile at the memory.

Dean took a plate as he told Sammy, "Can't wait to try them."

The first bite had Dean sighing as he commented, "I would never have thought to do that. I thought you put caramel on like French toast. This is awesome. She had great taste."

Sammy smirked as he said, "I know, she picked me as a boyfriend."

Dean threw back his head and laughed before he looked at Sammy and smiled, "Like I said good taste."

The whole breakfast was relaxed and fun. A rarity to have so much calm and normal everyday fun for such a long time. They ate leisurely as they chatted and just enjoyed each other's company. They had almost finished cleaning the kitchen when Dean glanced at the wall clock. He frowned and was surprised that when Sammy lay down the hand towel after letting out the dish water he said, "Give him a call. See where he's at… tell him we wanted to make him lunch for when he gets here so we need to know what time he's pulling in."

Dean grinned as he told him, "Good idea."

Sammy smiled as he grabbed a beer for each of them out of the frig letting it slam shut on it's own and handed one to Dean as he called Bobby.

After several rings it went to voicemail and had Dean saying exactly what Sammy had suggested, ending with, "So give us a call when you get this."

"Huh." Dean said with a frown as he closed his phone and pocketed it. "Hey Sammy. I think maybe you're getting better." Dean commented with a slap on the back as the ambled back into the living room.

"What?" Sam asked confused.

"No episodes for nearly…" He looked at his watch as he added up the hours, "A long time." Because he didn't want to jinx anything.

Sammy grinned as he stopped and stared at Dean, "Ya really think so?"

Dean nodded and slung his arm over Sammy's shoulder and pulled him close as he muttered, "Yeah, we beat that Bitch!"

Sammy laughed as he noticed how relaxed Dean was. He slapped Dean on the chest as he told him, "I wouldn't trade you even for the impala."

Dean glared as he snapped, "If she gets 'napped you damn well better trade for her."

"I wouldn't trade _you, _you ass! Would you trade me?" Sam snapped in aggrevation.

Dean got a pained look on his face as he looked conflicted.

Sammy smacked him in the chest as he gave him a slight shove and stormed huffily upstairs.

By the time he got upstairs Sammy was locked in the bathroom.

"Stop actin' like a chick, dude. Of course I'd pick you." Dean commented as he leaned against the bathroom door.

Sammy snickered, as the shower turned on he commented, "Yeah I know. But I wanted first shower."

Dean smiled as he muttered, "You bitch."

"Yep, maybe. But I'll have hot water." Sammy said as he snickered back.

"I could kick down the door and throw you out." Dean threatened.

"Yeah, but you won't." Sammy said as he slid the shower curtain open.

"So, you're saying once again, Bobby is saving your ass and he ain't even here." Dean said has he moved away from the door.

"Pretty much." Sammy agreed with another chuckle as he stepped into the warm shower. Pretty soon there was stem coming out from under the door.

Dean moaned from the chair across from the bathroom, "Dude, leave some for me."

Sammy chuckled as he shut off the water and opened the door.

"Dude. You let the hot water run and you were already out?" Dean snapped in shock at the brat behavior his little brother was displaying.

"Maybe?" Sammy said with a shrug.

"Oh, bitch. You have just declared war." Dean said with an evil wicked grin as he stood.

Sammy paled as he told Dean, "No… no I didn't…"

Suddenly a knock on the door downstairs startled them to silence.

"The dog's not barking. So somebody Bobby knows?" Sammy finally said as he looked at Dean.

"Maybe." Dean said as he pulled his nine from the small of his back, quickly popping the clip slapping it once on his leg and slammed it back it to place as he chambered a round. Placing it back he asked Sammy, "Where's yours?"

"You took it away from me after…" His voice dropped into uncomfortable silence.

Another loud more demanding knock sounded, causing Dean to jog down the hall and trample quickly down the stairs, followed closely by Sammy.

Slamming the door open Dean was shocked to see Sheriff Mills standing in front of them, a serious expression on her face.

"Sheriff… what brings you out… Bobby's not here." Dean commented.

"Dean…" She cleared her throat, "Sammy. I know he's not. Can I…" She cleared her throat again before she asked, "Can I come in for a minute?"

Dean narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he tried to read her.

Sammy reached around Dean and pushed open the screen.

Boo was suddenly there at Sammy's feet watching the sheriff as well.

"So," Dean began when they had moved into the living room to stand around awkwardly, "Why the social call when you know Bobby's out of town? Something happen in town you think we're responsible for?"

Sammy interjected, "We've been here for weeks… I been sick."

"Boys, this is an official call." She said nervously, she damn sure didn't want to deliver this blow.

**TBC**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: Okay, not mine. I don't own… do have a sandbox though. I **LIKE** my sandbox... (grins devilishly)

**NOTE#1**: Thank you so much my FFF for the reviews, favs and alerts! And remember the sandbox rules. Well, at least Rule #1... Okay maybe it was Rule #2. But anyways it's a biggy…

**NOTE#2**: not feeling well. Migraine and dizzy ucky. So I'm hoping for not too many glaring mistakes but I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer so…) Here it is!

Chapter 13

"When was the last time you saw Bobby?" Mills asked getting right to the point, well… almost. She thought, _Anywhere but her_e _is where she wanted to be_, as she watched the Winchester boys.

Both boys paled instantly as Dean answered in a shaky voice, "Yesterday. _Why_?"

"Have you talked to him since then?" She asked trying to sound professional, _indifferent._

"Why?" Dean demanded as worry flooded over him along with waves of dread.

"We called him a little while ago, but only got the voicemail." Sammy supplied as Dean stood with his hands clenched at his side while he tried to control his breathing.

She gave them _that look _and Dean snarled_, "Oh fuckin' hell no! We would know!" _He pointed between him and Sammy as he repeated_, "We would fuckin' know!"_

"Dean. I'm sorry." She shook her head sadly as she continued, "Lord knows I don't want to be the one to tell you boys, but _I needed to be the one_. I've known Bobby for years."

"Then you should know just as well…" Dean started to say only to have Sam interrupt him.

"Did you find a body?" Sammy asked as he stared intently at the sheriff.

"What?" Dean gasped out as he glared at Sammy.

"Actually… no. _But_…" Sheriff Mills mumbled as she looked at her feet.

"See, he's not dead!" Dean burst out as he grinned at Sam relief flooded through him.

"Dean you didn't see the car." Mills interrupted while she turned her gaze to watch Dean.

Dean nodded in agreement as he asked, "Where is it?" When she didn't respond he demanded, "I want to see it now!"

"I had it towed here." She admitted knowing they would want the car, "It'll be here in the next 2 hours."

Dean looked at Sammy and he nodded and headed for the library to search through Bobby's stuff to see what he'd been working on.

Dean looked at the sheriff as he told her, "We're going after him and we will find him… _alive_."

She shook her head sadly as she told him, "I don't want you to get your hopes up." When Dean continued to glare silently at her she added, "I'm staying until the car arrives here, they'll release it into my custody. Here." She pulled an envelope out and handed it towards Dean. At his questioning look she supplied, "I was suppose to give this to you if I ever got word… um…"

_Dean knew Bobby_… It would be Bobby's will, "No… he's not dead and I ain't reading it." he snarled as held up his hand in refusal.

"Dean I drove up there when they called my office. I saw the car… there's just no way." Mills admitted hoarsely.

"Jodie. Shut up." Dean finally growled before he cleared his throat and said in a calmer tone, "_He is not dead_."

Dean seemed to suddenly remember something as he yanked out his phone and thumbed through his contacts until he found Rufus and hit send. After several seconds of repeated ringing and no answer he finally was dumped into voicemail.

"Rufus some serious shit is going down and as soon as you get this call me! _You fuckin' hear me_? Call me when you get this!" Dean growled in frustration as he slammed his phone shut and as he shoved it into his pocket he looked up to see Jodie staring at him with those, _I'm sorry for you your loss _eyes.

"_Stop looking at me like that_. I'm not crazy. We would know if Bobby was dead. If nothing else Bobby's ghost would stop by and tell us himself and that sure as hell ain't happened." He glared at her and her eyes just intensified _the look_. "Fuck!" He snarled as he rammed a hand through his hair. He faced her as he told her, "I will come back with him or my name isn't Dean Winchester!"

"I'll just wait outside." Jodie said softly, holding the envelope up again for him to take.

"You do that." He said as he snatched the envelope from her hands and turned to go into the library where Sammy had ransacked the room.

Sammy looked up from the computer screen as he told Dean, "He didn't leave a copy of his notes like he normal does, even wiped his search history."

"But you can retrieve it, _right_?" Dean asked anxiously as he came over and looked over Sammy's shoulder.

"Who knows every site you've ever tried to hide from me?" Sammy asked without looking up from the screen.

Dean turned red as he said quietly, "I wasn't trying to hide anything."

Dean placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder and gave a slight squeeze as he stared at the screen watching his brother at work.

Sammy said as he concentrated on the screen, "He really didn't want us to follow him apparently."

Dean tightened his grip without saying a word.

"Don't worry D… almost got it." Sammy said trying to be encouraging.

"I know your damn good at this hackin' shit. I'm just worried as hell and…" Dean shook his head and then looked down as he took several deep breaths to calm himself.

"Got it." Sammy looked up and over his shoulder to grin at his brother.

"What was he working on?" Dean asked anxiously.

"D, not yet. I meant I just cracked his password." Sam admitted quietly.

"He probably picked one of three, The day we got you back, September 18, 2008 or the day he got married." Dean guessed as he waited for something he could use to come up on the screen.

"Actually he picked, Dean and Sammy Singer." Sam told him as he stared at the screen.

"What?" Dean asked confused.

"Yeah, well I guess he knew I'd check the ones he normally uses like the ones you said. This one is new and I'd say changed just to keep us out." Sam said, biting his lip as he concentrated.

"What the hell did Rufus drag him into? From now on the man has us for shadows. We know everything he's working on." Dean snapped clearly frustrated.

"Agreed. Give me 10 minutes." He said and then in a half whisper Sam admitted, "_I wish Ash was here_. He'd have already found everything and printed it off for us."

"Miss Ash." Dean agreed before he added, "_But I think I'll keep you_." Suddenly feeling embarrassed he muttered, "I'll just go pack our stuff and bring it down." He turned to walk away and then he turned back slapping the envelope from Jodie onto the desk. "Put that in his middle drawer, we won't be needing it." Dean told him.

"What is it?" Sammy asked as he grabbed it and shoved it in the middle drawer his eyes never leaving the screen.

"His will." Dean growled as he tried to keep his voice from shaking.

Sammy slammed the drawer shut as if something would jump out at him as he looked startled at Dean.

Dean nodded grimly as he told his brother, "That's what I said." After a few seconds of nothing but furious typing Dean added gently with another squeeze, "We'll find him."

"I know. If it was anybody else on his trail I wouldn't be so sure… _but with you_, it's gonna happen." Sammy said confidently.

Dean smiled at his brother, a sad little smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I'm printing off everything he looked at about a place called Lucky Springs, North Dakota." Sammy commented, eyes going rapidly between the printer and the screen.

"Good, I'll load up. Meet me out front in ten." Dean watched until Sammy nodded.

Ten minutes later Dean came out front onto the porch dropping three duffels onto the porch as he looked around for Sammy. He was standing near the porch railing staring down the driveway while he held a folder stuffed full of papers.

"That it, Sammy?" Dean asked as he nodded towards the folder.

No response.

"Sammy?" He repeated as he stepped closer and tapped Sammy on the shoulder.

Sammy jerked, startled and looked at Dean as he swallowed… hard.

"Sammy?" Dean asked as his worry meter moved up several notches.

"Jodie says they'll be here in five with the charger." Sammy practically whispered.

Dean's eyes jerked towards the end of the driveway as he stepped beside his brother to wait together for their Bobby's car.

**TBC**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: Still not mine… Although I do have Dean "borrowed" someone "borrowed" him for me… wasn't that sweet?

**NOTE#1**: I have to say… I adore the reviews! And all my FFF I have made… this has been such a fun new experience for me!

**NOTE#2**: I have a sweet 16 birthday weekend away with my daughter planned. We are planning on leaving on Thursday and will be coming home on Sunday. So it may be late Sunday before I post. So I'm considering possibly posting 2 chapters today or one today, one tomorrow just in case something happens and I don't get home on Sunday… so if I was to post 2 chaps before I leave would you forgive me for not posting on Sunday? If I can't post on Sunday I would post on the first available day back… Would that work? I hope so. With that in mind I am posting this at 3:44 am Wednesday… enjoy!

Chapter 14

The silence was so loud that they heard the tow truck long before they saw it. The closer it got to them the harder it was for Dean to breathe, he was sure by looking at his brother he felt the same way.

He placed a hand on Sammy's arm as he told his little brother, "I'll do it. You can wait here."

Sammy turned to look at Dean and it almost sent him to his knees, _He'd seen that look before, like right before Sammy had killed Madison and when they had had the funeral pyre for their dad_. _This was killing his little brother_. He grabbed Sammy's face in his hands and once he was looking at him told him, "I _will_ fix this little brother, I promise."

Sammy swallowed convulsively as he tried to say, "I know."

Sheriff Mills watched from her patrol car and had to blink back tears at the agony on the Winchesters' faces. Before she knew about them, she had thought Bobby would die a lonely, bitter old man. It was more than apparent they loved him. _The car_… the car would destroy those boys. It would crush any hope that Bobby would be found alive.

As she saw the tow truck in her rear view mirror she climbed out of her cruiser and waited. She ignored the boys as she told the tow truck driver where to park the car and as he unloaded it, she signed the papers getting it released.

She didn't have to look to know the boys were now closing in on the charger. She held up her hand to halt their progress to the car. "I think this can wait until later. Why don't we go in and I'll fix us drinks."

At Dean's incredulous look she told him, "Yeah, I know where the stash is."

Sammy shook his head no as he told her, "We need to see what we're dealing with so we can go in after him prepared."

"Go in after him where? _Just where do you think he is_?" Jodie asked wondering if he was delusional.

"That's what we'll find out. He's our… _our family_. It's our job." Dean told her firmly as he walked over to the car placing his hand over the handle of the driver's door.

Dean tried to hold back the fear that was rising that there might not be a happy ending in this for them. He couldn't ignore the blood spray pattern across the inside of the windshield. He thought frantically, _I will not puke. I will not puke. I will not puke. I have to be strong for Sammy. _Speaking of Sammy he was close enough behind him he could feel the heat of panic radiating off Sammy as he waited for Dean to open the door.

He closed his eyes said a quick prayer and pulled open the door at Sammy's gasp from behind him he opened his eyes. Shakily as he told his little brother, "It's a case Sammy, that's it. Look at the evidence… see what we can make of it. Everything we find gets us one step closer to getting Bobby back. _It's not_…" He stopped as he spotted something on the driver's side floor board, showing it to Sammy he commented, "Well now we know why he didn't answer it, he doesn't have it with him."

Sammy's hands shook as he took the phone, trying hard to ignore the dried blood fingerprints all over it. He searched the phone while Dean looked through the rest of the car.

Dean shut the door hard as he turned and leaned against it.

Sammy asked in a whisper, "What'd you find?"

"He definitely met with someone in the car. That someone attacked him." Dean said with a smoldering fire in his tone.

"Who would have…" Sammy started to ask only to have Dean answer.

"He was meeting Rufus. We find that sona-" Dean snapped. He had a target for his anger. Rufus.

"Dean we don't know if it was him." Sammy butted in as he tried to calm Dean just a little.

"That's why I will find him _and then_ beat the living hell out of him until he tells me what the fuck is going on." Dean told him firmly as clinched his fist closed.

"We…" Sammy interjected quickly.

"What?" Dean asked confused.

"_We Dean_. We will find him and _we will _get him to talk." Sammy clarified.

"Sammy I…" Dean started as he shook his head no.

"Fuck that Dean. I'm going with you, what the hell happened to each other's shadows? What if…" He knew it was a low blow but it would work so he used it, he would ask Dean to forgive him after. "What if I have another episode and I'm by myself?"

Dean looked down as he bit his lip, "Jodie." he whispered.

"Dean I'll just follow you might as well take me along. At least with you you'd know I was okay." Sammy told him bluntly.

"Dude you can be a real bitch when you want to be." Dean told him as he looked him in the eye.

"Learned from the best, jerk." Sammy said as he thumped Dean on the chest.

They asked Jodie to watch the dog and the cat and started to give her a copy of the house key. She held up her hand as she told them she already had one.

Dean's eyebrows shot up practically to his hairline as he opened his mouth to comment.

"It was in the package that Bobby gave me just in case." Jodie snapped crankily.

"Just when did he give that to you?" Dean asked suspiciously.

"A few months after we became friends. It's been awhile. You boys sure I can't talk you out of this?" She tried one more time.

Dean was already shaking his head no as he headed towards his impala.

"Alright," she said with a sigh. "I'll hold down the fort. Sammy give me your phone."

Sammy handed over her phone as she put contact numbers in she told him, "I'm giving you my cell, my home number and my office number and if I happen to be in the field, someone at the office will patch you through, anytime. You got me… call me if you need anything. And let me know when you find him." She told him as she hoped they actually succeeded.

Sammy nodded as he took his phone back and pocketed it next to one of their links to where Bobby was; his phone.

Dean slammed the trunk shut as he walked over to his brother telling him, "Read this out loud while I drive." handing him back the papers he had printed out earlier.

They climbed into the car everything so quiet that they both jumped when Dean started her up. They were both trying to figure out what was coming and how they would help the other should it end badly.

"You feel funny at all and you tell me immediately. You get me? No big tough Sam. I need to know, okay?" Dean told him as he hesitated to pull the car into gear.

Sammy stared at Dean then turned to stare straight ahead as he told him, "Fine, but that door swings both ways, big brother."

**TBC**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer**: still not mine… rubs eyes with both fists as cries… looks around fist… nope, no affect whatsoever… _they don't care…_ mean bastards!

**NOTE#1**: Guess what I realized today! It has been a year since I started writing for FF! Can you believe it? All legal like and everything… LOL! **SO, guess what**? Another Chapter to celebrate! Wish me luck... off for the weekend! Thanks so much everyone for the reviews, favs, alerts and the encouragement to keep going! BTW, could not sleep last night for some reason... So hope I caught all the mistakes but if not... sorry... ;)

Chapter 15

"_The door swings both ways? _Is there something you want to tell my there Sammy boy?" Dean said with a snicker, trying to ease a little of the tension.

"jerk." Sammy commented.

"bitch… seriously… _we'll find him_." Dean told Sammy gently.

"Dean… I trust you. Man, I really do… but remember how long." Sammy began only for Dean to interrupt him.

"He's not dad." His brother reminded him firmly.

"I know that D. That's not what I'm saying." Sammy started again.

"I'm saying he's not hiding from us… it was a research trip gone bad. He will be a lot easier to track." Dean stated matter factly.

Sammy scratched at his left ear as he opened the folder and started rearranging the pages.

"That's my boy." Dean said softly with a hint of pride.

Sammy looked up startled to stare at Dean like he had suddenly grew horns and a tail.

"What?" Dean asked surprised that Sammy jumped at something that familiar being said.

"It's just been awhile since you've said that." Sammy said quietly, offering Dean a small grin in response.

"Really? Has it?" Dean asked even though he knew it had been, but it just came out so automatically that he'd already said it before he realized he was going to.

"Well, welcome back brother." Dean said trying for dismissive like it was no big deal.

"I missed you, D." Sammy said quietly.

"Right back at ya, little brother. Right back at ya." Dean replied so softly that if Sammy hadn't been listening for it he would have missed it. He thought with a smile, _but I didn't miss it and Dean actually missed me_. After everything… he sighed.

"Ya think you got it in order?" Dean asked as he watched Sammy reshuffle the papers for the third time.

Dean saw Sammy nod as he cleared his throat.

"Just gotta tell you real quick that… that no matter what we have each other." Dean said it even though it was hard to say aloud.

Sammy swallowed hard as he nodded, afraid to talk because he was afraid he would cry like a girl. So he shuffled the pages a fourth time and spotted what he thought may have caught Bobby's attention. "Hey, D… _listen to this_… Lucky Springs, North Dakota has been anything but lucky these past 10 years as the locals have had an unusual string of bad luck. Several older residents have accused other residents of the evil eye. Claiming the bad luck was caused on purpose by people only wishing to do harm to innocents."

"What the hell kind of crap is that?" Dean snarled.

"It looks like it was printed in the Halloween Edition of the Lucky Springs Times. The local paper." Sammy stated as he continued to read.

"So it's a joke?" Dean asked as he frowned at the road.

"Not from the looks of this gypsy looking woman on the front page next to the story. She looks pissed." Sammy commented as he went to the next page.

"Huh." Dean commented as he processed the information Sammy had just read.

"Then he printed an obit for a Cezar Cobzaru." Sammy added.

"You sure?" Dean asked.

"Well all the pages in his history were related to that town." He hated lying to Dean but until he could ask Bobby he didn't want to worry Dean with the other pages. Besides they had nothing to do with the case.

"K… read on little brother." Dean couldn't help it… he hadn't been able to be with his little bother in over a year and half and it felt damn good to just even say the words '_little brother_.' Kinda warm and fuzzy… _shit_… what had Sammy just said, "_What_?" Dean asked now that he was listening again.

"I said, he died 10 years ago this month. It seems to be what catapulted Lucky Springs into the path of bad luck." Sammy said as he shuffled to another page, then skipped and went to the next one and gave a low whistle.

Dean raised an eyebrow as he waited.

Then he flipped through the pages again as he told Dean. "The woman in the Halloween edition of the paper is his wife and she blames a woman by the name of …" another shuffle of paper before he said, "Elenitsa Theodorakis for his death and the ensuing bad luck."

"How's that?"

"The evil eye apparently." Sammy mumbled as he shuffled the papers yet again.

"You're kidding?" Dean asked with a laugh.

"I think people believe it yes."

"Well… I guess we need to talk to those people. The Theodorakis' and the Cabasas'"

"Cobzarus D, you call that old woman that and she's libel to curse you with…"

"Shuddup Sammy." But Dean said with a grin a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Six hours later had Dean pulled off at mile marker 127.06. Sammy wearily opened his eyes as he studied his surroundings he sat up, "Why are we stopping here?"

"Jodie said this is where they found the car. Maybe we can find something."

"That the cops didn't?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well," Dean gave Sammy that famous _well, duh dude_ look as he continued, "We are trained professionals, we know what we're looking for."

Sammy nodded laying the all important folder named _Bobby_ on the dash as he started to open the door.

"Sammy?" Dean waited until his brother paused with his hand on the door and looked across the car at him, "You ready for this? If not I can…"

"NO." Sammy snapped and then taking in a shaky breath he began in a slow and deliberate tone, "I'm fine. We are each other's shadows remember?"

"Yeah I remember." Dean replied quietly.

"Then quit trying to ditch me." Sammy retorted angrily as he got out of the car and slammed the door shut.

"Sammy." Dean said quietly as he leaned against the drivers door arms braced on the roof of the car. He watched Sammy shoulders slump as he turned and mimicked Dean pose.

"I wasn't tryin' to ditch you. Man I was tryin' to…" Dean tried to explain only to have Sammy snap.

"What? Protect me?" Sammy asked with a snort, "I've seen it all Dean." He added wearily.

"It's my job." Dean said with a hint of pride.

"Your job is to be my brother, my family." Sammy informed him bluntly.

"That's what I just said, bitch." Dean replied.

"D…I watched Jessica burn and I found dad and I shot Madison and I shot you twice… I watched _you _die…"

"Sammy stop…" At Sammy's hurt look he added, "Please… _I get it_… little brother… no protecting."

Sammy growled, "_Don't_… you did a fine job at taking care of me."

It was Dean's turn to snort.

Sammy sighed as he began, "Who scared the monsters away when I was little? Who picked me up when I fell_, a lot_. Who told me bedtime stories or gave me the last of the cereal even though he just made me the last of the spaghetti O's? Who was always their protecting me… _raising me_? You gave me the good in my…"

"God Sammy… enough Hallmark moments… I raised you like dad raised me… that's it." Dean said turning slightly pink from the praise.

"That was how dad was… _before_?" Sammy asked shocked, like he'd just realized it was possible for his dad to be different than he'd always known him to be.

Dean nodded. Sammy nodded in response giving that closed off _I knew I fucked up everything up by being born_ look.

"_Dude_." Dean said in a clearly frustrated tone.

"I wished I could have seen that side of him." Sammy said sadly as he hung his head to stare at his feet resting his head on the impala.

He heard Dean sigh and opened his eyes to respond he saw a glint of metal half buried in the dirt. He instantly dropped to the ground and started digging.

**TBC**

**TInYNOTE: **The names are authenic greek and romanian names. The name of the town, surrounding towns and resteraunts I made up for my story... so if any of it is real... WOW that would be odd... LOL ~iamtryN~


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer**: Can I just say I wish they were mine… **but** unfortunately I do not own… any little bit… so sad.

**NOTE#1**: First: I am so sorry for the non-post on Sunday or Monday! G-gma is back in the hospital in Oklahoma and we came back sick. Running noses, sneezes, ugh! But I am back and I hope you like this chap! Enjoy! Next: **Thank you all so much for the fab reviews! And as also for the favs and alerts! PS - **P16- Awesomely perfect! Thank you and no I won't... smiles. Enjoy, ya'll!

Chapter 16

Dean saw Sammy suddenly drop like a rock and raced around the car to find him on his knees pawing at the ground like a madman.

"Sammy what the hell are you doing?" Dean asked worriedly, but he couldn't help but feel a little relief that his brother wasn't out cold on the ground.

He turned still on his knees and showed Dean what he'd found; a ring.

"So? It's a cheap ass ring that's covered in rust." Dean snapped as he started to feel frustration creep in.

"No Dean. It's covered in blood and it looks like some sort of family crest." Sammy stood and handed off the ring so he could dust his knees off. He added, "Maybe this is connected to whoever caused this."

Dean looked it over again and pocketed it. _If it was dangerous_, Sammy wasn't carrying it.

Sammy looked off towards the trees at the side of the road as he asked, "Should we search in there?"

Dean stared the direction Sammy was looking as he chewed his lip before he asked, "What do you feel? Think he's in there?"

Sammy's face blanked as he stared at the woods finally he turned as he looked at Dean to say, "I think we're wasting time that Bobby doesn't have. Call Missouri?" He suggested.

Dean nodded as he told Sammy, "I'll call her. You call Rufus. He was suppose to be meeting him… see if he's seen him."

Sammy nodded as he dug his phone out of his pocket.

After each got off the phone Dean looked at Sammy who responded with, "voicemail."

Dean said softly looking at the woods as he told his little brother, "She says keep moving… all the answers are in Lucky Springs."

"Is Bobby?" Sammy asked starting to feel a spark of excitement.

Dean swallowed as he said softly, "She doesn't know." and with that Dean walked around and climbed behind the wheel.

Sammy sighed and mimicked Dean as he got into the car and stared at the road ahead.

Two towns later and Dean pulled off at a motel.

Sammy stared at Dean as he asked why Dean was stopping.

"We need to rest in a place that doesn't have a curse going on in town. Tomorrow we will get a place a town away from Lucky Springs and set it up as base." Dean added as he pulled to a stop in front of the office.

"Ok." Sammy agreed simply as he got out to follow Dean as he rented the room.

Dean looked over his shoulder at Sammy as he thought, _It was so nice to have his Sammy back_. He smiled as he turned back and opened the door. The simple acceptance of Dean's opinion without the '_whys_' was nice.

As they stood in front of a pink haired teenager, Dean handed her a card and waited for her to charge it for the night. "Hey, Marcus. Check out is at 11 am and keep the fun down or I'll have to charge you extra for disturbing my peace."

Dean blinked at her with a confused look before he glanced at Sammy who tilted his head to the side and blinked rapidly before placing a stupid grin on his face, then a hand on Dean's arm as he rubbed it gently.

Dean jerked away from Sammy as he snapped, "Dude don't be a Bitch! That's not funny."

Then he turned snatched his card from the young girl and growled at her, "And you… get your mind out of the gutter and go watch something rated G. Like that Wendy girl with the little brothers she takes care of."

She grinned as she popped her gum before she replied, "Ya mean Peter Pan?"

"Yeah, whatever…" He snapped as he pointed his card at her, "He's my brother. We don't…" frustrated he started over, "We are badass hun…" He was interupted by his huge baby brother before he continue his rant.

"Dean." Sammy said in his normal voice.

Dean shook his head as he pocketed his card as he mumbled, "I oughta get a discount for _you_ disturbing _my_ peace."

"You are so much fun… here." The girl said holding out a couple of candy bars as a peace offering.

"I don't want you to get in trouble." Dean admitted immediately forgetting his previous anger.

"Yeah, right." She snorted, "I _wish_ they'd fire my ass. My parents own this dum- fine establishment. By the way my name's Red."

Sammy laughed as he asked, "Why Red?"

"Natural redhead. Hated it… name is really Tammy." She admitted as she turned a slight shade of pink.

"Ah," Sammy nodded, "Thanks Red." he picked up the candy bar that Dean didn't like and the key. Leaving Dean to take his candy bar as the young teenager commented, "I'm glad you guys are… badass… it would have been a real loss to the female population to…"

"Tamara Starling Jackson quit harassing those gentlemen and get to cleaning the lobby." A woman yelled from the back.

Red jumped as she turned maroon she mumbled, "_If only they'd fire me_."

Dean raised his voice as he told Red, "Tammy thank you for all your help… your boss ought to give you a raise… Ya know my aunt owns a mini motel. I bet she would love to hire you. Let me give you her number."

Suddenly a bleach blonde woman was beside Red with her arm wrapped around her shoulders, "No, we couldn't do without our Tammy."

Dean looked her up and down with a frown before he muttered, "I'll bet." Then smiling at Red he told her. "Let me know… I'll give her a call. She's always taking in strays."

Red winked at him before she was wisked away.

As they walked away Sammy muttered, "Our Aunt?"

"Ellen. And don't tell me Ash isn't a stray. Cause he is." Dean informed Sammy causing him to look at Dean worriedly.

"Man are you okay? Ellen and Ash…. They… I remember they died… and Jo… _Is that right_?" Sammy mumbled as he stumbled through his thoughts suddenly he looked hopeful.

Dean turned pale as he leaned against the impala he muttered, "What the hell? Sammy… _I know that_… I guess with the stress and all I forgot for a moment. Fucking sucks…" He ran a hand through his hair as he continued, "if anything happens to Bobby. It will just be us… everyone else is gone."

Sammy gave Dean's shoulder as squeeze as he told him, "We'll find him. Let's try to get some rest." _What the hell was wrong with Dean_? He worried silently.

After they were settled in and the room was secured Sammy pulled out the laptop and sat it at the little table by the window.

Dean shook his head as he asked, "Sammy, what are you up to?"

"Research,_ remember_?" Sammy asked standing up out of the chair he just sat down in and taking a step towards Dean as he asked, "Ya feeling okay, D?"

"I… uh… No." Dean said with a confused look on his face. He sat down hard on the nearest bed as Sammy rushed to kneel beside him, "What the fuck?" Dean managed in a whisper. Dean placed a hand to his head as he told Sammy weakly, "I don't feel so good."

Sammy's panic level sky rocketed as he made a grab for Dean as he swayed and started to slide off the bed. As Dean's eyes closed and he went completely limp Sammy pulled him back against him as they both slid to the floor, "Dean… _D come on, man_… don't do this to me."

After several seconds Sammy thought with a hysterical chuckle escaping that _'this moment right here_' would be where the '_awake_' brother would frantically call Bobby for help. A half sob escaped as he took a free hand and rubbed his finger tips across Dean's cheeks. He was doing a visual inventory of Dean's condition when he noticed Dean's hand was in his front pocket. _Ok, weird_.

He pulled Dean's hand free and the ring from the site where they'd found Bobby's car tumbled out of Dean's loose grip. It rolled to rest under the table.

**TBC**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer**: Not any little bitty bit belongs to me… it's sooooo sad! (sobs while wringing hands)

**NOTE#1**: Thank you all for the reviews, favs and alerts! Adore them all! I really, really do! Hope no one was hurt in yesterday's 10:53pm earthquake in Oklahoma, which we felt here in Kansas! Well, I wonder what Sammy was up to that week and a half with out Dean... hum, for that matter what was Dean up to? Maybe there's a story there? Hey, Ziggs tried to answer your review, but you're disabled man! So, thanks for the review!

Chapter 17

Dean started to stir almost immediately after the ring came to rest under the table which had Sammy giving the ring on the floor a suspicious glare before turning his attention back to Dean.

"Dean, ya with me man?" Sammy questioned gently while still keeping a tight hold on his brother.

Dean blinked a couple of times and then realized he was laying in his brothers' arms and bolted straight up.

"Whoa, Dean. Take it slow. You passed out…" Sammy said as he tried to hold him in place.

"Get off me… _dude_." Dean snapped as he pushed at Sammy's arms while he tried unsuccessfully to stand.

"Dammit, Dean. I'm serious!" Sammy snapped right back as he pulled Dean up with him when he stood.

Dean slapped at Sammy hands on his arms as he groused, "Sammy, let go…"

"_Dude_, you forgot Ellen, Ash and Jo are dead. And then you…" He told him as he led his brother over to the bed to sit down.

"What?" Dean interrupted with a frown before he added, "No… how could I forget something like that?"

Sammy shook his head as he told him, "I don't know for sure, but… I have an idea."

"Well, let's hear it." Dean commented as he sat down on the bed and looked up at Sammy.

Sammy started pacing as he began to talk, "I found that ring, right?"

"Yeah." Dean said softly in a tone that clearly implied, _Where exactly are you going with this_?

"Well, you put it in your pocket and then you started acting weird… like you forgot we were here looking for Bobby. Then you told a kid at the front desk you could get her a job at your Aunt's place and _THEN_ you started talking about them like they were still alive and it was only after I reminded you they're gone did you remember. Then we came in here and you said you didn't feel well grabbed your head and keeled over. _You scared the hell out of me man_." Sammy said earnestly as he ran a hand nervously through his hair.

"Well," Dean tried to sound like he was trying to make a joke as he said lightly, "Now you know what I've felt like the last couple months."

"Jerk. That is not funny." Sammy snapped as he halted in mid step to glare at his big brother.

"It's a lit…" Dean began only to stop at Sammy's shaking his head no.

"I'm sorry Sammy…" Dean said with a sigh and then changed the subject, "so the ring… it's possessed?"

"Cursed." Sammy corrected.

"Who do you think cursed it?" Dean asked.

"I'm betting one of the 2 feuding ladies in Lucky Springs." Sammy got angry as he thought about the danger that damn ring had put his brother in.

"Dude, you can't kill them." Dean said quickly interpreting the scrawl on Sammy's face.

"I don't know about that… if they turn out…" Sammy said in a '_I'm going argue with you_' tone.

"Sammy, I'm fine." Dean said, "Where's the ring now?" He asked as he reached in his pocket and came up empty.

"You aren't getting it back." Sammy stated flatly.

"Well, you sure as hell aren't carrying the damn thing. You just got everything back in sync." Dean growled looking around the room.

"Dean loosing you is not an option. Neither one of us will carry it." Sammy got that, _shhh I'm thinking_ look on his face before he asked, "That prayer cloth that Jim blessed, do you still have it?"

Dean looked at Sammy like he'd lost some marbles before he told him, "Yeah… I put it in the bottom of your duffle." At Sammy's weird look he responded defensively, "I thought we needed all the help we could get with your recovery."

"I thought you didn't believe…" Sammy started.

Dean was dumping all of Sammy's stuff on the bed as he dug through and found the prayer cloth he was looking for.

"Dude you are so putting all that back." Sammy interrupted himself to inform his big brother.

Dean plastered his grin that made women swoon on his face as he told him, "Like hell I am, bitch it's your shit!"

"That you dumped all over the bed." Sammy reiterated.

Dean smiled and tossed the cloth at Sammy's face. He caught it and stepped over to the table and leaning down tossed the cloth over the ring as he told Dean, "We don't touch it bare handed."

"Agreed." Dean said as he walked over to stand by his brother as he picked up the ring and placed it on the table.

"Neither of us carries it on our person. It stays wrapped." Sammy stated as he sat down and booted up his laptop.

Dean sat down beside Sammy as he stared at the ring. Finally he looked at Sammy who had been watching him as he said, "So you think it's connected to Bobby?"

"Yeah, I do." Sammy stated firmly.

Keys started clicking as he did a search on Greek and Romanian Crests. Sammy didn't even look up as he told his brother sternly a few minutes later, "Don't."

"What?" Dean asked innocently jerking his hand back from the center of the table.

"You know what." Sammy stated flatly still not looking up.

Dean chuckled, it was great to have his little brother back that knew him so well.

"Just behave for two seconds." Sammy added as he searched for the crest on the ring.

Dean snorted as he asked leaning back against the back of the chair and resting his arm on the back, "Who's the older brother here?"

"Tell me you weren't about to touch it to see if it would affect you?" Sammy asked finally looking up to pierce him with those Sammy eyes.

"What? No…" Dean shook his head in denial and then grinned as he told Sammy, "I missed you, dude."

Sammy continued to stare at him.

After a few seconds, Dean's panic level started to rise.

"Sammy?" Dean asked tentatively.

Sammy bit his lower lip but said nothing.

Dean started to rise when Sammy jumped and said with a grin of his own, "I missed you too ya jerk."

"What the freakin' hell was that?" Dean snapped as his panic surged like a tidal wave over him, "I thought you were having a relapse, _don't do that_." Dean griped even as his hand snaked out and grabbed Sammy's arm.

"What the hell are you talking about? _You_ said you missed me and I answered." Sammy frowned as he studied Dean.

"bitch it was like minutes before you answered." Dean admitted.

"Maybe you need to move away from the ring…" Sammy said standing up and pulling Dean to a standing position.

**TBC**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own the adorable… uh…um… _manly men_. Not even a teeny tiny bit… damn the luck!

**NOTE#1**: Thanks so much for the reviews, favs and alerts! It's awesomely awesome! Air KiSSeS and HuGGs! Oh and chocolate… yep!

No sleep last night, ugh! I thought being in an ER waiting room waiting for news was bad… not nearly as bad as waiting three hours away at home while the gbaby is at the ER… (pneumonia again)

Anywho, sorry for the late post… enjoy! Val, hope you like! Ziggs, still disabled man! To all my other FFF thanks for all the support! Love ya!

Chapter 18

Dean jerked his arm away and stepped back as he snapped, "Dude… I _did not _imagine that!"

"Dean… I didn't say you did. I said maybe the ring was still affecting you. _It's not the same thing at all_." Sammy argued defensively.

"Yeah, well… I know what I saw _and_ heard." Dean growled and then he snapped, "I'm taking a shower and then we can jet…" Before his voice softened enough to ask, "Unless you want a shower…"

"Uh… jet where?" Sammy asked cautiously.

"Food, dude." Dean said as he grabbed out clean clothes and headed for the bathroom.

Sammy sighed, he'd been afraid that Dean had forgotten what time of day it was and wanted to head to Lucky Springs. He searched the whole time Dean was in the shower but found nothing on the crest. He was frustrated by the time Dean got out of the shower.

He still couldn't help but grin when Dean came out shaking his head like a dog slinging water everywhere.

"Man use a towel." He commented dryly.

"What me to use this one?" Dean asked starting to remove the one from around his waist.

"No…" He said quickly as he chuckled at his brother's antics, "Why aren't you dressed? Didn't you take your clothes with you?" Sammy asked.

"Forgot my boxers… unless you think I don't need any?" Dean questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe you've changed more than I thought." Dean snarked as he grabbed said boxers and headed back to the bathroom.

"Dude… hang free if you want but if your in an accident and they have to remove your pants… everything will be blowing in the breeze." Sam said with a slight smile.

"Dude, I thought that was _don't wear dirty underwear in case of an accident_?" Dean muttered around the sounds of brushing his teeth.

"Jess used both interchangably when she wanted to go to the laundry mat and I told her the clothes were good for another couple wears." Sammy admitted even as he felt his face heat up as he said the words.

"Yeah… that's from growing up with dad." Dean stated before he said in a mimic of his dad's voice, "_Dean. It's not standing up on it's own, it's got at least another two weeks wear in it." _He returned his voice back to normal as he continued, "I hated those camping trips."

"I know right. He thought going back into town was crazy just to do laundry when he was on a mission." Sammy replied.

They both fell silent as they thought about their dad and those dreaded camping trips.

"Yeah, but I'd go again in a heartbeat." Dean said at the same time as Sam commented, "I'd gladly torture myself to go on one of those trips with him just one more time."

Dean chuckled as Sammy looked up startled to see his brother stick his head out the door and grin. It seemed they had finally found their way back to each other.

After a quick dinner they were on the way back to the motel room when Sammy's cell rang. He answered without checking to see who was calling, just in case it was Bobby on an unfamiliar phone.

"Hello?" He asked quickly.

"Hello, Sammy?" A hesitant voice questioned.

"Jodie?" Sammy stated surprised before he amended, "I mean Sher…"

"No… Jodie. I just called to tell you I took care of the dog but your cat…" She hesitated a second before rushing on, "I couldn't find it. I left food inside and outside on both porches. I'm going back in the morning to make sure I didn't lock her out."

"Huh… I don't know where she could be." Sam said as a worried tone crept into his voice.

"I'm sorry Sammy, I didn't want to add to all you have going on right now, but I thought you'd want to know." Jodie said softly.

"Just let me know when you find her okay?" Sammy asked.

"Sure thing. Let me know if you need anything, ok?" Jodie countered.

"Yeah, thanks Sher- Jodie." Sammy ended the call on that note.

Dean was staring at him when he got off the phone.

"Boo's missing." Sammy informed him flatly.

"What? No. I'm sure she's around somewhere." Dean tried to comfort Sammy as he parked the car in front of the motel room.

Sammy just frowned at him.

Dean got out and looked under the front seat and finding nothing he moved to and opened the back door. He looked under the seat, slamming the door he headed around to the passenger backdoor and was looking under that seat when Sammy's head popped out over the seat to ask, "What the hell are you doing?"

"She hid in my car a couple of different times. I was just making sure she wasn't in here hiding now." He said without looking up at his brother.

Sammy raised his eyebrows as he turned and got out of the car. Shutting his door, he came around to the back door and took a hold of Dean's arm, "Come on. Let's try to get some rest."

Dean shut the car door before he moved a couple of steps away, "Stop treating me like a kid. I'm not sick and I'm not crazy." he snapped, clearly frustrated.

"Ya mean stop acting like you." Sammy said as he folded his arms across his chest.

Dean stared a few seconds and then walked over and threw his arm around his little brother's shoulder as he told him, "Then I raised ya right, kid."

Sammy shook his head as his arm moved to Dean's shoulder as they walked to their door.

Sammy smiled as he thought it was good just to be brothers again. To have Dean back to the way he was before. He looked at Dean as they dropped their arms so Dean could unlock the door.

"What?" Dean asked as he sensed Sammy watching him. He opened the door and as he pushed it open he looked cautiously around, making sure the room was still empty.

"Am I like I used to be?" He asked as he walked over and sat down on his bed, the one closest to the bathroom.

Dean had walked into the bathroom pulling back the shower curtain to make sure it was empty as well. He decided dumb was in order as he walked out of the bathroom and headed for the closet. "Before what?"

Dean had his head in the closet when Sammy whispered, "Before Hell."

Dean turned and smiled his famous _knock the breath out of the girls _smile and told him, "Better."

The scrunched up forehead told Dean that little brother wasn't getting it so he told him, "You are like you were before _my_ hell."

Sammy blinked a couple of times and grinned when it finally sunk in what Dean was saying.

"We need to get some sleep, bro. Tomorrow we find our…" Dean hesitated as he tried to decide just what Bobby was to them, before he continued, "uh… _Bobby_." he slapped Sammy on the shoulder as he walked past.

Hours later after Dean was snoring lightly, Sammy was still wide awake so he got up as quietly as he could and went over to boot up the laptop. Maybe he would find something this time around. Several more hours later and the crest on the ring was still a mystery.

Dean turned over in his sleep to face Sammy's bed. He sleepily looked at his brother's empty bed his eyes drifting closed once again. Suddenly it was as if his brain finally realized what his eyes had seen and registered it as _wrong_, flashing like a neon sign with sudden urgency. He bounded up and out of bed as he searched the room frantically for his missing brother. He sank back down on his bed in relief as he saw him in the chair at the table.

"Dean… have you been like this since I got re-souled?" Sammy asked as he stood and walked toward his big brother.

Dean rubbed at his face and then moved his hand up and through his hair. He looked tiredly up at Sammy as he tried to grin, "Like what? Ruggedly handsome or fuckin' awesome? I've always been… I thought you knew that."

"I'm being serious, D." Sammy said as he sat down on the bed beside him and gently did a shoulder bump.

**TBC**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer**: So... um... not mine. I don't own them or Dean's baby. I should steal her though now that she's in hiding... No, you're right Dean would catch me then kill me. LOL. Don't own.

**NOTE#1**: Still not mine so I will continue down the FF path... (smiles) Actually, I like this path just fine. Thank you all so much for the reviews, favs and alerts! I adore them all! I tried to catch all the errors, but migraine center is at large. So I will apoligize now for any booboos! Hope you enjoy! HuGGs!

Chapter 19

Dean looked sadly at his little brother before he licked his lips and then sighed. _Loudly_. He slumped down placing his elbows on his legs as he clasped his hands together. Finally he looked down at his feet as he debated exactly how much to say.

Sammy gave him a gentle pat on the back before he dropped his hands to mimic Dean's posture as he waited for him to say something.

Dean cleared his throat again before he said softly, "After you…" Dean stopped cleared his throat again and started over once more, "After I lost you… um… I was going to follow you." Dean held up his hand to stop Sammy's protest. "Then Cas was there. He healed me and then Bobby… I tried so hard to…" Dean stopped and sat for a couple of seconds as he tried to organize his thoughts.

Sammy leaned against Dean just enough to make solid contact as he sat waiting on him to continue.

"I walked away from Bobby and I walked away from hunting." Dean said bluntly, then added. "I concentrated on finding you. To save you and if I couldn't." Dean shrugged then his little brother in the eye as he said, "I was going to join you."

"Dean." Sammy said with such sadness at the pain he had caused his brother… was _still _causing him.

"I know I promised and believe me I regretted that." Dean admitted.

Sammy made a noise to which Dean answered, "I enjoyed the normal later... sorta. But it didn't dampen the pain or… I didn't stop looking for a way until…"

Sammy interrupted to tell him, "You don't have to feel guilty, it had been a long time."

"No_… you don't understand_. I didn't stop looking until you were back and showed up… _that's_ when I stopped."

Sammy looked at him surprised.

"But you left again." Dean glanced down as he whispered with so much sadness leaking through into his tone.

"D… I'm so sorry." Sammy told him earnestly.

"Sammy…" Dean looked him in the eye once more as he continued, "You kept coming back. Even soul-less you came to me."

"Dean." Sammy tried again.

"Sammy… I was _me_ again. _I had you back_. It was all I needed." he sighed before he continued, "Then everything was in the shitter again. It didn't take long to realize that something was wrong."

"But Dean you can stand down now… _I'm back_… everything's in sync. No more stutters, no more freezes or…" Sammy finally got out what he wanted to say.

Dean looked at him and said with tears in his eyes as he told him, "_Everytime _I get comfortable with my life I loose you…" he looked away as he added, "or someone else."

"Dean… this is not your fault! _You saved me_." He grabbed Dean arm and gave just enough of a squeeze to get his brother to look at him, "_You _put me back together. And Bobby… _we will find him_. And _he will _kick your ass when I tell him you've been blaming yourself." Sammy eventually stopped for breath which gave Dean the opportunity to try to lighten the mood.

"What are you… _four_? You're telling Bobby on me again?" Dean asked with a ghost of a smile.

"Naw, four and a half, _jerk_." Sammy grinned as he dropped his hand as he reached out and lightly tapped Dean on the shoulder with his fist.

"_bitch_." Dean murmured before he glanced away blinking rapidly.

"Seriously, Dean. You need to relax." Sammy continued on to tell him, "I'm okay. _Really_."

Dean nodded as he stood and went to the mini fridge and pulled out a beer he'd brought back after dinner.

"Dean it's like 5 am." Sammy told him a little surprised, "Put that back and let's go get breakfast." Sammy suggested.

"Sammy... _you told me_ to relax." He said with a grin and a shrug. "Besides, it's 5 oclock…" He moved his hand in a waving motion.

"Wrong 5 oclock dude." Sammy muttered as he stood and walked over he grabbed the bottle from Dean and tossed it in the sink.

As it shattered Dean grumbled, "I am not cleaning that up."

Sammy grinned as he said, "Breakfast and then we get this bitch started."

Dean raised an eyebrow as he nodded in agreement he started to pick up the ring from the table.

Sammy grabbed his arm as he told him, "It will be fine right there."

Dean frowned but left the room with his little brother.

Sammy watched his brother shovel food in his mouth and couldn't help but smile, he was so old style Dean that it made a tug for his heart. He swallowed hard and looked down at his own barely touched food.

"What?" Came the question around Dean's mouthful of food.

Sammy shook his head as he said staring down to his plate of food, "Nothing. It's just been a long time. That's all."

Dean sighed and reached out to flick Sammy on the forehead.

"Ow… ya jerk. What was that for?" Sammy asked as he glared at Dean while simultaneously rubbing the middle of his forehead.

"Eat, jolly green. Or you won't be giant anymore." Dean smiled as he chugged his water.

"Ha ha… it wasn't funny then and it's not now." Sammy snapped frustrated.

"Well, it's definitely true. Now eat up. We need to get this solved." Dean said finishing his plate off and shoving it aside. After he placed his elbows on the table he started to watch his little brother intently.

After a few seconds of trying to ignore him Sammy looked up with a sigh as he put down his fork, "Let's just go, okay?"

"After you eat. So hurry your ass up." Dean demanded as he leaned back and spread his arms out against the back of the booth.

"I can't you're staring at me." Sammy whined.

"Fine… but you're being a pansy ass girl." Dean snarked as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Sammy asked, his panic on the rise.

"Easy there. I'm going to the can. Eat that." Dean said pointing at Sammy's plate before he turned and headed for the bathrooms. Getting just out of site of the booth he watched Sammy find a nearby trashcan and dump most of his food in it.

Dean waited a few seconds and headed back. Knowledge was power… _now where had he heard that before_?

Sliding into the booth he asked, "You want seconds?"

"Uh… no. I'll be good when I finish this." He said shoving the last of the food on the plate in his mouth.

Dean thought seriously about telling Sammy that he knew what he did with his food and it sure as hell wasn't eat it.

Sammy dropped his fork with a clatter as he said, "There, I ate everything."

Dean studied him before he finally said, "Fine… let's get going." Descision made to hold back on what he knew... for the moment.

**TBC**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the handsome devils, except in my dreams… and then I wake up and I don't own them. It's a vicious cycle… (smile)

**NOTE#1**: Thanks for all the reviews, favs and alerts! I love them always! (Hey, C)

**NOTE#2**: I'm trying something new as I'm sure most of you have already noticed. I'm posting a new story even though I'm still posting this one. This one will stay the same. Posting on Wed and Sun. The new one, When the Monster Comes will post on Tuesdays. (WTMC has a sister story Junkyard Dog by LeighAnnWallace) Both of course are finished. Oh, btw, Ziggs is still alive and kicking...

Chapter 20

After a quick sweep of the room once the car was loaded, Dean went over to the table to get the ring. It wasn't there so he yelled, "Sammy."

"What?" Sammy asked poking his head out the bathroom door where he was brushing his teeth. Dean shook his head in annoyance, he'd already loaded all their stuff in the car and here Sammy was with his toothbrush. He felt like growling in frustration.

"Where's the ring?" Dean asked crankily.

"Dean… you aren't carrying the damn thing. It's put up." Sammy informed him and then gave him a glare for good measure.

"Who do you think you are?" Dean growled but he couldn't help the grin, little brother was on the prowl.

"Your brother." Sammy commented dryly.

"Yeah, well…" Dean started only to have Sammy interrupt him.

"Dean. Neither one of us will have it on us. It's too dangerous." Sammy informed him, pointing his toothbrush at him before sticking his head back into the bathroom to spit into the sink.

"Dangerous is my middle name." Dean said loudly at Sammy's retreating form.

"No, apparently stupid is." Sammy mumbled as he turned on the water to finish with his teeth.

"What was that, little brother?" Dean growled as he headed to the bathroom.

"Dean Dangerous Winchester." Sammy muttered. Then he continued with, "Dean Stupid Winchester. Dean Dangerously Stupid Winches…"

"Shuddup, Sammy." Dean growled as he reached down at the still running water and splashed it at Sam.

Sammy laughed as he jumped aside, then shoved his way around Dean.

Dean smiled as he shut off the water and followed his little brother.

After they were settled in the car and Sammy was once again shuffling papers in the front seat as Dean left the parking lot, Sammy muttered "D.D."

"Sammy." Dean said in a warning tone as they headed toward Lucky Springs.

"What?" Sammy asked innocently.

"Where to first? O, Sambowon." Dean asked staring at the road.

"Not funny in any century, dude." Sammy muttered.

"Truce then?" Dean asked.

"Yeah." Sammy sighed, a truce was definitely better than snarkin' back and forth the whole way. After a few minutes of paper shuffling he commented, "It looks like the Romanian lady opened a café twenty years ago right after they came to town. The Greek lady owns a restaurant she opened eleven years ago across the street from the café."

"Well, that could be awkward." Dean commented.

"Maybe that's what started it all." Sammy speculated with a glance toward his big brother.

"Maybe." Dean agreed with a quick glance at Sammy before he asked. "So we hit one of the restaurants first?"

"Yeah… looking for our uncles?" Sammy asked as he slapped the stack of papers against his knee.

Dean laughed with another glance at Sammy as he commented, "If they met Rufus that should cause some interesting…"

"Dean look out!" Sammy yelled as he pointed at the road in front of them.

Dean yanked the wheel hard to the right, swerving just enough to miss the kid on the bike that had tumbled off it and was currently sprawled in the road.

Dean swerved to the side of the road in a cloud of dust and squalling tires. He was sitting white knuckled as he tried to catch his breath enough to growl, "I thought you had that damn ring wrapped in Jim's prayer cloth?"

"I do, Dean." Sammy told him as he looked back over his shoulder at the boy. Then they both jumped out of the car and ran back to the boy who was sitting up and rubbing at his eyes as he cried.

Dean knelt beside the boy as Sammy called 911. "Hey, kid… you okay?"

"Hey, asshole! Get the fuck away from my brother!" Someone yelled as they tried to shove Dean out of the way.

"_Your brother _wrecked his bike in the middle of the road, _my brother _nearly killed us trying to save _your _brother. So show some damn gratitude." Sammy snapped instantly angry at the situation.

"Down, Sammy. It's okay." Dean said as he watched the brother holding his younger brother. He gave a sad little smile. He remembered being just like that. It was an older brother thing.

They waited at the impala for the police to show up as they watched the boys talking quietly together after they had helped them move the wrecked bike off the road.

Sammy gave a little smile as he told Dean, "You're just like that, you know. Except you would have been with me, not showing up after."

Dean looked at his brother with a return grin as he said quietly, "Isn't it a little weird all this crap that's happening…"

Sammy nodded in agreement as he muttered, "Like roadblocks trying to stop us from finding Bobby."

Two hours later and they were on their way once again although Dean was driving slower and watching both sides of the road carefully. He didn't want a repeat of earlier. After several miles of silence each lost in his own thoughts Dean finally said, "Mount Collins is the town we pass through right before we get to Lucky Springs, how about we get a room there and then go hit the café and restaurant."

"So you have a plan?" Sammy asked as he watched Dean.

"I do as a matter of fact." Dean said smugly.

"Yeah, what is it?" Sammy asked curious.

"Critics." Dean stated firmly.

"Critics of what?" Sammy asked as he rubbed at his head where a headache was trying to form.

"Food." Dean looked at Sammy strangely before noting the rubbing and frowning currently being conducted by his little brother.

"Dean." Sammy said softly.

"You okay?" Dean asked as he found a decent looking motel and pulled into the parking lot. Stopping in front of the office he turned to look at Sammy.

Sammy flinched as he bit his lower lip. " 'M fine." he finally muttered out.

"Yeah, I can see that. Stay put." Dean ordered as he got out and hurried to the office.

A few minutes later he was back, gently closing the door as he looked over at Sammy who currently had his head resting against the glass of the window and his eyes closed as he pressed his hand to his forehead.

He hesitated to ask but he had to know, "Is it like before?"

"Before what?" Sammy whispered as he kept his eyes closed.

"Visions?" Dean again hesitated before he asked. With another quick glance at Sammy he started the car and moved it over in front of their room.

Sammy was silent so long that Dean was afraid he wasn't going to answer.

**TBC**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer**: They aren't mine… although if they were… it would be huGGs all around… poor boys! (Anyone who's seen the mid-season cliffhanger knows what I'm talking about) So, sucks they don't belong to me!

**NOTE#1**: Sorry about the Wednesday cliffy… forgive me? I adore all the reviews, favs and alerts… for all my stories… THANK U'LL!

Chapter 21

Dean could feel the panic seep in the longer Sammy stayed silent. When he couldn't stand the silence any longer he reached out and took a hold of his little brother's arm, giving it a slight squeeze as he asked, "Sammy?"

"D." Sammy whispered as he looked at him with tears in his eyes.

Dean jumped out of the car as he pocketed his keys he told his little brother, "Hang on, I gotcha."

Manhandling Sammy out of the car and into the room he had Sammy on the bed before he let go as he told him, "I'll be right back." In under five minutes he had the car unloaded and the doors and windows salted.

Sitting down beside Sammy he told him ,"Don't worry Sammy we will deal with it just like before."

"No." Sammy whispered as he reached out for Dean, trying to sit up.

"Sammy I promise. I don't care if you're psychic wonder woman… I got you back. So I don't care." Dean tried to tell his little brother how he felt, _he really didn't care_. It all seemed so unimportant in the scale of things.

"D." He looked at him as he said, "Stop fretting."

Dean pierced his lips into a thin line as he told him, "I just got you back."

"Dean. It's just a headache." He told his brother as he opened his eyes.

"Oh." Dean seemed to deflate as he slumped down next to him finally allowing himself to relax just a fraction. "But why…"

"Distraction maybe?" Sammy suggested as he tried once again to sit up.

"From the case, you mean?" Dean questioned as his hand unconsciously reached for his little brother.

"Yeah," He sighed as Dean stopped short of grabbing a hold of him to plump up the two pillows on his bed and prop the one on top of the other and then helped him to sit up.

"Yeah, think about it, they had bad luck in the town for how long? What if it's more than just bad luck…" Sammy said as he tried to work it out in his head.

"What? Like a demon?" Dean asked with a frown.

"Yeah, like a demon someone summoned." Sammy said as he rubbed his head.

Meanwhile Dean was handing Sammy a couple of pills and a bottle of water as he asked, "You really think it could be that simple?"

Sammy snorted as he glanced at his brother.

"Yeah, I know." Dean agreed. _Because nothing was that simple when it came to them_.

After Sammy took the medicine and handed the cup back to Dean he swung his legs over the side of the bed and started to stand.

Dean placed an hand on his chest to stop him as he told him, "Just give the meds a chance to kick in, would ya?"

Sammy studied his big brother who looked so exhausted; he nodded as he looked down and away he said, "I'm sorry, D."

"For what?" Dean asked confused.

"That you have to worry about me all the time." Sammy said sadly.

"That's my job, ain't it?" Dean asked with a pat to Sammy's chest.

Sammy slumped down in defeat, he didn't want to be Dean's job… _just his little brother_.

"Sammy look at me." Dean demanded as he fisted Sammy's shirt.

Sammy looked at him the unshed tears clear to see.

"I'm glad to have you around to worry about." Dean admitted, chick flick be damned.

"But if I hadn't come…" Sammy started only to have big brother interrupt with a sternly snapped word.

"Don't." Dean growled unconsciously tightening his grip on his little brother's still fisted shirt.

Sammy jerked as he said, "But."

"Don't ever finish that sentence. I don't want it any other way. _You got me_?" Dean gave him a little shake and let go of his shirt.

Sammy nodded as he tried for a smile.

"Good, little brother." He nodded as he reached out grasped Sammy's shoulder.

"Do you want to go ahead and leave me here…" Sam asked quietly as he thought silently, _Please say no, please say no_.

"So _NOT_ happening, Sammy." Dean growled as he stood and walked over to the table, turning he asked, "Where's the ring?"

Sammy got that stubborn look on his face.

Dean grinned as he told his brother, "I thought we'd leave it here, no use tempting fate by taking it to '_the town_' with us."

"It's in my duffle." Sammy admitted wearily.

"Dumb ass." Dean snapped as he scrambled over to the duffle and started digging through it.

"What?" He asked wondering why Dean was calling him names.

"That's probably why you're head is about to explode. Remember when I had it on me?" Dean snapped as worry was quick to waterfall over him as he searched for the ring.

"But I didn't have it on me." Sammy argued as he watched him search.

"No, just in your shit. That's why it took longer." Dean growled, his worry now firmly masked in anger.

"Oh." Sammy said as he stood up and told Dean, "I'm feeling better. Let's go." He smiled at Dean as he looked at his duffle and he thought, 'He's going to move it.'

"Liar." Dean said without looking at him. Triumphantly he pulled the ring out and held it up for Sammy to see. He grinned, leaving it wrapped up as he laid it on the table. Then he moved Sammy's stuff to the other side of the room; just for insurance.

Then once on the road Dean spent the entire drive to Lucky Springs watching Sammy. He noticed he was rubbing his head less. So either the meds kicked in or the separation of the ring from Sam's stuff did.

They made it to Lucky Springs without further incidence. Looking on both sides of the road, they spotted the Lucky Springs Café with the Elenitsa's Authentic Greek Restaurant across the street. They parked in front of the café and then Dean looked at Sam and asked, "Do you feel better now that we put distance between you and that ring?"

Sammy grinned as he told him, "Yeah, Dean. I'm okay. Although I'm getting kinda hungry."

Dean grinned as he said, "Now, that's my boy."

Sammy grinned back as they both got out of the car.

As they opened the door a very pretty girl walked out followed by a very old woman. The same woman from the newspaper article.

Dean and Sammy looked at each other and then back at the pair of women.

The old woman gave Dean a look of disgust as she looked Dean up and down and then told him, "Nu sunt adecvate pentru privirea de la meu nepot."

Dean raised his eyebrows as he looked at Sammy.

The younger woman gasped as she whispered in a horrified voice, "Bunica!"

The old woman shook her head as she smiled and then said, "Ea este menit pentru lucruri mai bune decat li place de tine."

Again the girl cried out, "Bunica."

The old woman replied, "Meu nepot."

"I'm sorry, I must apologize for my grandmother." The red faced girl said in a hushed whisper.

Sammy smiled at the old woman as he told her, "You are right, he is not fit to gaze upon your grandchild. And I'm sure she is meant for better things than the likes of us. We meant no disrespect, mam."

The woman grinned as she told her grandchild, "Go tell Max that they get a free meal, anything they want. I like this one." She gave Dean an appraising look that had him raising his eyebrows again as he glanced at his little brother, "I'll meet you at home." she told the young woman, clearly dismissing her.

The young woman kissed her grandmother on the cheek as she walked back into the café.

Sammy watched the grandmother watch a woman about her age come out of the restaurant across the street. He was surprised to see such sadness on her features before she blanked her face and started to walk away.

**TBC**

**NOTE#2**: The names are Greek and Romanian. Plus the grandmother is really speaking Romanian, but names of towns I made up.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer**: Don't own which is really too bad for the boys… I mean seriously if I did it would be grab, play, wash, return and… **repeat**! So much more fun than what's happening to them with… (leans in and whispers) _the owners_… giggles…

**NOTE#1**: Well, I want to say Happy Thanksgiving Ya'LL! 'Cause I won't be back around until Sunday… Thanks so much for the reviews, favs and alerts! I adore them all! Air kiSSes and HuGGs! Enjoy!

Chapter 22

"Do you know her?" Sammy asked nodding toward the lady across the street watching them as Dean followed the girl into the café.

She studied him before she finally whispered, "Yes. I do. Curva greaca ucis sotul meu."

Sammy watched her as he asked, "You believe she killed your husband?"

She looked up at him and then glanced away as she nodded.

Sammy followed her gaze which landed across the road on the old woman as he told her softly, "I can find out for sure for you."

Her eyes narrowed as she jerked her head back up she asked, "Why would you do that? You don't know me."

"Because what ever is going on here has caused me to loose someone close to me and my brother. In order to find him, we have to fix what's going on here." Sammy told her honestly.

"I hope you find him." She stated before she turned and walked away.

Sammy stared after her as she walked away, then looked up to feel someone watching him. The lady from the restaurant was staring at him curiously.

He turned and walked back into the café and smiled as he saw Dean chatting it up with the young woman.

As he sat down next to them she stood and went over to the counter and started talking to a man behind it.

Sammy grinned as he watched Dean watch her. He hadn't looked at any woman like that since… well. _Not going there_, he thought quickly.

Dean turned as he said with a light smack to Sam's chest, "Dude. You speak Romanian? Since when?"

"Dean I took languages in college." Sammy told him with a smile.

"I thought you were going to be a lawyer." Dean stated confused.

"Focus, dude. What did you learn from the girl?" He asked Dean with a smile.

"Her name is Mirela. She is in love with Nicanor." He recited to his little brother.

"Okay…" Sammy drew out the word.

"Nicanor is the grandson of Elenitsa." Dean said and then waited for little brother to catch up.

"Oh." Sammy said as it dawned on him just what his brother was saying.

"So, it's a Romeo and Juliet kind of thing." Dean said as he looked around the café.

"Well, not if we can help it." Sammy said firmly.

"Oh, so we're going to fix all the town's problems before we go on our merry way?" Dean asked peevishly.

"Don't be an ass. I talked to the grandmother. She believes that Elenitsa is responsible for her husband's death." Sammy told him clearly starting to feel the burn of frustration at his big brother.

"Yeah, so. We already knew that." He retorted.

"Yeah, but when she walked away, I think Elenitsa was watching us. I don't think she's behind this." Sammy told him frankly.

"All that from looking at her. Wow, case solved. We can go home now." Dean stated sarcastically.

Sammy gave him such a classic bitch face, he had to laugh. But then he felt instant quilt. They had no idea what was happening to Bobby and here he was enjoying just being with his brother.

Mirela walked back over and sat back down as she asked Sammy, "So, you'll help me then?"

"Excuse me?" Sammy asked as he looked at Dean for the answer to what she was talking about.

"Dean told me you were here looking for your uncles. Well and uncle and his friend and that you'd see what you can find out about my grandfather while you're looking for your uncles." Mirela told Sammy with a smile and a glance toward Dean.

"He did, did he?" Sammy asked with a glare towards Dean.

"Just because we can't be happy doesn't mean that…" Dean started to say.

Dean stopped when Sammy kicked him under the table. "Ow! Bitch, what'd you…"

Sammy glared at him again while Dean sat rubbing his shin.

She laughed as she told them, "My grandmother will like you once she gets to know you."

Sammy smirked as he said, "She likes me just fine. It's Dean she thinks is… ow, jerk. What the hell?" Sammy growled at his older brother who was practicing his, _I'm_ _innocent here_ look.

She looked at both of them with a tiny smile as she looked over at Max she told them, "Ah, food's ready." then she stood and walked over to get their food.

Sammy leaned over as he whispered, "What are you... two? What the hell is…"

"Dude, you kicked me first." Dean said with a smirk.

Sammy whispered loudly, "Dude, you told me we didn't have time to help Romeo and Julie over there when you already agreed to do just that."

Dean smiled and gave a slight shrug.

Mirela sat down the first plate causing their current conversation to cease.

As they ate Dean asked her, "How long have you been seeing Nick?"

She looked at him funny before she told him, "Three years."

Dean raised his eyebrows and said, "And in this small town no ones knows?"

"Elenitsa knows. She's not responsible for my grandfather's death." Mirela told them firmly.

"She tell you that?" Sammy asked as he glanced up from his plate.

"Yes. She doesn't know who is. My mother and her daughter were best friends before this happened. They used to joke that they would have kids that would fall in love and they could share their grandkids." Mirela said quietly looking wistfully out the café window.

"Are they no longer friends?" Sammy asked gently.

A pained look came over her face as she told them, "Our parents were going to a fund raiser being held at the newly opened Elenitsa's when they were killed in a car crash."

Dean and Sammy shared a look.

Dean asked her, "Was that before or after your grandfather passed?"

She gave them a funny look then told them, "It was before."

"So you were each raised by your grandmothers." Sammy asked.

She gave a sad little smile before she nodded. "Nicanor found a scrapbook his mother had kept that showed our two families were once close and showed it to me. We tried to find out the truth but so far nothing."

"Well. Leave it to the experts." Dean said with a confident smile.

Another bitch face from Sammy had him grinning like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

**TBC**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer**: They are not mine, I do not own anything… except the plot bunnies hopping all over the place. _Okay… one at a time… in order please… _they don't listen either damn it!

**NOTE#1**: Thanks so much for the R&R's! Love them, adore ya'll! Also enjoy the favs and alerts! Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday! And I have a question… How many of you are chewing your nails waiting on Dec 2nd? Yep, I am 2! Oh, I must apologize for the short chapter but it just wouldn't do anything else…

Chapter 23

As their conversation continued they soon learned that both sets of parents had died a year before the grandfather, which was when the contact stopped between the two families.

"So did your grandmother ever tell you what led her to believe it was Elenitsa that caused your grandfather's death?" Sam asked as he watched Mirela.

"No, something about it all being in the writing of it all." Mirela said softly as she started to look nervously around.

Dean frowned as he snorted, "Well that's not cryptic at all."

"That's what Nicanor said." She said as she noticed people starting to stare at them. She stood as she told them, "I can't talk anymore. Maybe we can meet you somewhere and talk more privately?"

"Yeah." Dean said as he checked his pockets for a pen and then pointed at hers, "Can I borrow that?"

She handed it over and as Dean wrote down their numbers and where they were staying on a napkin from the table as he told her, "We'll have everything sorted in no time."

Sammy gave him a _what the fuck ? _look. After she had walked away Sammy whispered fiercely, "You can't promise shit like that Dean. Life is far from a freakin' fairy tale and there are no happily ever afters, dude."

Dean looked at him sadly before he said softly, "Maybe not for us." Then Dean gave him a funny look as he asked, "What happened to _'Not if we can help it'_ that you were spouting just a few minutes ago? And why can't they have it?"

"Dean." Sammy said as he stood up, his barely touched food forgotten.

"I have mine so why can't they?" Dean said as he stood as well and turned and walked out. He knew without turning around that Sam would follow.

"Dean. Wait." Sammy called out to his brother as he chased after him because he wasn't making sense. He was surly one minute and the next he was promising happy endings.

"What?" Dean asked as he turned and looked over the hood of the car at his little brother. "You're not going to just let it go are you?" he asked wearily.

Dean sighed as he watched Sammy shake his head no, just like he knew he would.

"My happily after never was the same as yours. All I needed in mine was you and dad." Dean finally said then looked down at his hands resting on the car, thinking about all the chick flick moments he had inflicted on himself lately and gave a mental shrug. The things you willingly do for little brothers. At least he had a little brother to get chick flicky with.

Sammy stared at him without saying anything.

"I have half mine so I'm okay with that." Dean finished what he had to say and got in the car. He started it as he waited for Sam to join him.

Dean waited for Sammy to get in the car hoping it would end there but knowing his little brother, he knew it wouldn't. Just like he wouldn't quit until he got an answer. He muttered, "damn puppy with a bone."

They drove in silence a few minutes until they reached the courthouse. Sammy reached for the door handle but stopped and looked at Dean as he told him, "I never realized it until right before Stull that you were mine too." and with that said he then got out and after shutting the door he leaned against it. He waited for his brother he thought about how great it was to have Dean as _his_ big brother.

Dean gave a mental shrug _so they were happy with their lot in life, huh_? Climbing out of the car he smiled at the back of Sammy's head. Coming around the impala he came up to Sammy and slapped him on the back as he said, "Lets get this bitch solved so we can get Bobby back."

Sammy grinned back at him as he told him, "Let's do it then."

**TBC**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer**: Don't own the boys… but that damn Trojan clicker virus that snuck in last night and wrecked my world for a few… well, I don't even own that! Just the mess it tried to leave behind! But my hubby is awesome and fixed it!

**NOTE#1**: Thank you all so much for the Reviews, favs and alerts! I adore them!Really... really... Have I told you lately that reviews are better than chocolate? Well, they are! Way... way better!

Chapter 24

Later that evening back at the motel they sat at the table looking at the papers they had gotten at the courthouse.

Dean threw down the papers in frustration as he asked, "What the hell does this all mean?"

Sammy shrugged as he told him, "We keep looking. The answer's here."

"What? We just haven't found it yet?" Dean asked sarcastically.

"Pretty much." Sammy muttered picking up the papers that Dean had just tossed aside and shuffling through them.

"I just want it to be like the old days. Figure it out, find it and kill it. We win. Simple as that." Dean declared firmly.

"Funny Dean that's _not_ how I remember most cases happening." Sammy commented without looking up from the papers.

Dean shook his head as he asked, "Are you ready to go try out the other restaurant?"

"No." Sammy said simply.

"Uh, why not?" Dean asked as he absentmindedly opened the cloth covering the ring and stared at it.

Sammy reached over still without looking up and slapped Dean's hand away as he snapped, "Don't touch it."

"This is the key, Sammy." He said quietly.

Sammy looked up and stared at Dean.

"What do you think would happen if we smash it?" Dean asked curiously as he studied it.

Sammy frowned and glanced down at the ring.

"Melt it." Dean said with a shrug and then added, "Bury it on holy ground."

Sammy got a look on his face that clearly showed he was thinking about the last one.

"I know," Dean said crankily, "This is the point where normally we'd call Bobby and he would tell us how stupid our ideas are."

Sammy smiled sadly at Dean as he looked back up at him. He knew that Dean was going stir crazy just sitting around. But he felt like the answers were right there just under the surface of where they were looking and if they stopped they might miss the one thing they needed to find.

Dean felt an overwhelming feeling of frustration and a need to get out. Anywhere but where he was. His knee started bouncing up and down with the nervous energy surging throughout his body, it almost felt like it was humming.

Sammy sat down the stack of papers and watched his brother. He stood up, "Let's go for a run."

"A run?" Dean asked incredulous. "Now?"

"Yeah. Now before you drive me crazy or explode, either one would upset me." Sam said with a slight grin.

Dean laughed and then looked guilty.

"Dean, Bobby knows we love him and that we're looking for him. Don't feel guilty for living. Neither of us want that." Sam told him as he watched his big brother practically hum with bent up energy.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Dean asked frowning as he stepped away.

"Dean… I wanted you to live… have a life. Not regret…" Sam tried to explain."Shuddup. Sammy. We both fucked up the living without the other, now lets move on." Dean snapped not liking the direction his little brother was trying to take the conversation.

"Actually, Dean I think you did a whole…" Sam started to argue.

"Don't." Dean snapped as he rushed forward and grabbed Sam's shirt front, "Don't finish that sentence." he demanded.

"Dean I'm sorry." Sam looked down as he softly apologized.

Dean loosened his grip and smoothed Sammy's shirt where he'd had wrinkled it as he muttered, "I know, Sammy. I know."

Dean turned and walked out the door leaving it open so Sammy could follow, because he knew he would. He didn't have to wait long to hear Sammy lumber after him.

What Sammy didn't expect to find was Dean standing frozen staring at his baby with something akin to horror on his face. "Dean… you alright, man?" he asked.

Dean shook his head no as he took a step towards the impala.

Sammy kept watching Dean and mimicked his steps.

When Dean pulled his gun, Sammy took a good look at the car and was shocked to see Dean pointing his gun at Boo. "Dean, what the hell?" Sammy snapped racing over to pick up his cat off the hood of the car and shield her from Dean's view.

"How'd she get here Sammy? She sure as hell wasn't in the car." Dean growled, waist banding his gun as he walked up to his little brother.

"Well, she had to have been, we just missed her, that's all." Sammy tried reasoning with Dean.

"There's something not right about that cat, Sammy. I've tolerated her for you, but this…" He pointed at the cat and then continued, "_This I can't ignore_."

"Just what do you think she's going to do Dean? Kill us in our sleep?" Sam asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, maybe." Dean said as he once again reached for his gun.

Sammy held up a hand, "Dean, if she was going to hurt us, she's had a million chances to do it…" Sammy looked down at his cat who was looking at him with what he swore was trust to handle the situation and save her, "She would have done it already."

"Shit, Sammy." Dean ran a hand through his hair and marched towards the motel door, when he reached it he turned and said, "Let's take this discussion inside." Then he waited for Sammy to enter the room first, following him only after Sammy was safely in the room.

**TBC**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer**: I don't own but if I did… their would be huggs all around! Poor Bobby… poor Boys! But alas they are stuck in the hospital trying hard not to cry… Meanies!

**NOTE#1**: I am sooooooooooo um, yeah. How about you? I mean really… flat line and then fade to black! I mean come on! And then not another ep until Jan 6th… I guess we can be thankful it wasn't until Jan 22 like last year… Wasn't that the date… oh, well… Here's a little chapter pick me up… hopefully. Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews, favs and alerts!

**NOTE#2**: Ok... a little different... I'm going to post this chap and then when I get back from town I will answer the reviews so please don't think I'm ignoring ya'll, because I'd never do that... not intentionally anyways... so, uh... yeah... enjoy!

Chapter 25

After Sammy had sat down on the bed with Boo and placed her down beside him he looked at Dean and smiled, "Dean." he said quietly.

"What?" He snapped frustration racing through his veins without him having a way to vent it making him instantly cranky.

"I promise she's okay." Sammy said gently as he watched his big brother pace.

Dean frowned furiously at Sammy before he snapped, "Fine, but if you get hurt I'm so kicking your ass."

Sammy snorted as he started to say something only to stop when the phone rang.

Dean reached into his pocket and pulling it out he didn't recognize the number but answered anyway, "Hello?" after a second or two Dean said, "Oh, hi Mirela. What?" He looked at Sammy and then answered, "Yeah, I guess. Sure. Bye."

"What was that about?" Sammy asked curious.

"Mirela wants to bring her boyfriend by to meet us." Dean said with a shrug.

"Okay, weird." Sammy commented still petting Boo.

"They want this stopped so they can bring their relationship out in the open." Dean said with a shrug.

"God, you guys must have talked fast." Sam commented dryly.

"What can I say. Chicks trust this mug." Dean said with a smirk.

Sammy snorted.

"Hey, there is no need to be rude." Dean said as he started picking up the paperwork and putting it in the file.

The knock on the door at that next moment was a surprise for both of them.

"Yeah?" Dean said with his hand on his gun. Sammy stood up and went to stand by the door waiting to pull it open at Dean's say so.

"I need to speak with you." A female voice whispered.

"Why?" Dean demanded suspiciously.

"The man you are looking for…" The female voice began.

Sammy yanked open the door and jerked the woman in, kicking the door shut behind them as he snarled, "What about him? How do you know about him when he never made it to town?" Sammy growled pissed that it felt like they were the only ones out of the loop in some cosmic joke.

She looked from Sam to Dean as she shook violently before she whispered, "I didn't think she meant it. She's ranted for years… I just didn't think…" She shook her head as she mumbled.

"Lady, get to the damn point." Dean snapped.

"My grandmother… she promised vengeance on the Theodorakis and Cobzaru families." She sighed as she hugged herself.

"Okay…" Dean drawled out as he looked her up and down. She looked more like a kid than a lady. "How old are you?" he finally asked.

"Fifteen." She told him stubbornly jutting out her chin.

"You stupid kid." Dean muttered as he removed his hand from his gun and took a step over to the girl and taking her arm he led her over to a chair to sit down, "Sit down before you fall down."

"What the hell are you doing out so late. Shit!" Sammy snapped as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Trying to fix this. I'm tired of all the crap." She stated bluntly.

"What exactly do you think you can do to fix this?" Sammy asked softly.

"No, Sam. We are not involving a kid." Dean stated firmly.

"I'm already involved." She spoke up firmly as she gave a flat laugh.

"Listen… um…" Dean realized he didn't even know her name.

"They call me Marki." She provided for him.

"Marki… you need to go home… No, scratch that we need to take you home and you need to forget about this whole thing. We'll take care of it." Dean said deciding on the course of action as he talked to her.

She laughed at him, before she told him bluntly, "I've been up to my ass in this shit since I was 5. I just didn't find out exactly what she'd done until recently."

"Like I said, we…" Dean pointed between him and Sam before he continued, "Will take care of it."

"Do you even know what this is your dealing with? Do you know his name?" She asked, crossing her arms across her chest as she waited.

They looked at each other as she snorted, "Yeah, I didn't think so."

"It is a Kakn Tuxn Demon, called up by my grandmother. She was jilted in the old country by her former lover and my grandfather. She was shamed and had to leave her homeland. She was doing okay until she stumbled onto an article where these two families had promised to unite their families and she freaked."

"So your…" Dean began only to have Marki announce, "My yia yia."

"Your yia yia set loose this thing because her boyfriend dumped her." Dean asked just to be sure he was getting the whole picture.

"Yes." She said simply since she saw no reason to try to sugarcoat the situation.

"So this Nicanor is your cousin?" Sammy asked.

"Yes. But he doesn't know. My grandmother was controlling the demon with our family ring… It's very old. She somehow thought that ruining their happiness would help her with her own. She was mistaken and I think now she just doesn't know how to stop all this." She informed them quietly.

"How'd that work out for you'll?" Dean asked sarcastically.

Marki frowned at him before she countered, "I don't know, how's it working for you? The man that stole the ring… I think it followed him."

"Rufus." Sammy said as he looked at Dean.

Dean took a couple of deep breaths before he pointed at the table, "That belong to your grandma?"

She turned to look at the ring and before either one could stop her had placed it on her hand.

Dean snapped his question at her, "Do you have any idea what will happen?"

Sammy stared at her before he added, "Yeah I think she does."

"I'm ending this." She announced as she stood.

"Ending this or us?" Dean growled angrily as he took a step towards her.

"This vendetta as went on long enough." Marki said as she turned to take a step towards the door.

A thunder clap seemed to have erupted in the room, causing all occupants to fall to theirs knees as they covered their ears with their hands. Lightening struck the light in the center of the room and as sparks flew, Dean covered Marki with his body as he yelled, "Sammy?"

"I'm fine. You?" Sammy asked as he crawled next to Dean.

The room went dark and the thunder and lightening continued inside the room.

"Marki, what do we do?" Dean asked her loudly as he tried to be heard over the thunder.

"I don't know." She admitted as she yelled back so Dean could hear.

**TBC**

**TiNyNoTe**: The Greeks had no name for 'A bad luck Demon' that I could find. I'm sure they have one… if nothing else some slang phrase… but I had to improvise…

I used the words for bad luck = Kakn Tuxn. So, anyway there's that tidbit… ;) ~iamtryN


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer**: The sadness of it all… No, Supernatural World is not mine… I don't own it… but hey, Christmas is coming up… red bows on wrapped up Winchesters… um… _shit, fine_! Not mine… (looks over at the suit with a stick) … you dick… (the suit raises the stick up and steps this way) No… I said nice stick…

**NOTE#1**: 1st of all, thank you so much for all the reviews, favs and alerts! They are much adored! 2nd, I'm coming down sick and haven't felt well. So I posted yesterday but didn't get to the reviews, I will probably do the same today. Not only has this migraine/sinus combo being going on for over a week, the cold has triggered my inner ear problem so I'm walking around like a drunk, which is probably where the dizziness is from. Anyway, I will get to the reviews as soon as I feel better and hope you forgive me. Love and huggs to all my FFF!

Chapter 26

"We are so screwed." Dean muttered.

With the dark and the flashing lights they didn't see the shadow of a woman move around the room and get between them and the demon that had just entered.

The bellow of rage that sounded in the room had all three occupants covering their ears again and crying out in pain.

Then just as quickly the lights flickered and came back on.

Dean and Sam stumbled to their feet, looking around Dean helped Marki to stand as Sammy spotted Boo laying on the bed inspecting her paw.

"You okay, Boo?" Sammy asked as he walked over and sat down, picking her up and looking at her paw which was bleeding.

"You're kidding me, right Sammy?" Dean asked pissed off that Sammy was so centered on the cat.

"What?" Sammy asked innocently, "She's hurt."

"U-huh." Dean snapped but couldn't help the tiny grin before focusing on Marki, "_And you..."_ He said with a glare, She looked at him startled when she realized he was talking to her, "What the hell were you thinking?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time?" She said, but her tone sounded more like a question as she shrugged.

"Heaven save us from helpful teenagers." Dean muttered.

"Hey." Marki said in an indignant tone.

"Truth hurts, get used to it darlin'." Dean snarked as he looked around.

"Sammy… any ideas?" Dean asked as he stared at Marki.

Sammy looked up from Boo as he said, "Maybe Boo scared it off."

Dean raised an eyebrow before he snapped irritated, "I wish Bobby was here so he could smack you upside the head with his hat."

"You asked, dude." Sammy retorted as he sat his now doctored cat on the bed and stood.

"Man." Dean ran a hand through his hair, "This is fuck…" He looked at Marki before he rephrased, "messed up." Dean paused before he muttered, "Running in circles comes to mind."

"What?" Sammy asked with a confused look on his face.

"I just want to find him." Dean admitted tiredly.

Marki looked ashamed down at the floor as she mumbled, "I'm sorry."

Dean sighed as he looked at the girl telling her, "What your grandmother chose to do is not your fault. Remember that kid."

She gave him a small smile as she told him, "What do we do now?"

"We take you home and then we talk to your grandmother and ask nicely for her to call off her demon." Dean said as he looked at Sammy over her head.

Sammy knew that it would more than likely have to end bloody. Demons didn't like being controlled and this one had been controlled for a number of years.

As they headed out to the car, they didn't notice that Boo slinked out behind them and slipped into the backseat with Marki.

They closed the door and stood in front of it as a car pulled up and parked beside the impala.

The passenger door flew open as Mirela stood on the side of the doorframe and looked over the roof as she said loudly, "We had a blowout on the way over here. Sorry we're late."

"Uh, it's okay. We're just taking a new friend home. Apparently she came to help us with the case." Dean said in a friendly tone.

Nicanor opened his door as he told them, "Meri has told me all about you guys, You really think you can put a stop to all this?" He asked in a tone that indicated that he didn't quite believe it.

"We have taken care of a few annoyances in our day." Dean commented as he frowned at Nicanor.

"U-huh." Nicanor replied as he looked Dean up and down sizing him up.

"Nic quit picking." Mirela said quietly.

"We need to get Marki home. Can we meet you somewhere in a few?" Dean asked.

"Why do you have her?" Nicanor asked curiously with more than a little hint of suspicion thrown in.

"I like to go around kidnapping little girls in my spare time." Dean snarked.

"Dean." Sammy said softly, resting his hand on Dean's arm for a second. Once he felt Dean stiffen his arm to acknowledge he dropped his hand to his side.

Dean gave a slight shrug as he sighed his frustration. He muttered, "Jackasses I don't need. I just don't have the patience right now Sammy."

"I know." Sammy hissed softly.

"What? Did you say something to me?" Nicanor asked. Jealousy can be an ugly green machine at the best of times which now was definitely not.

"As a matter of fact." Dean said as he raised his voice as his fists clenched at his side.

"Dean we need to go." Sammy loudly interrupted.

Dean stared intently at Sammy for a few seconds before he shrugged again as he said, "Yeah, okay."

Sammy looked over at the pair still standing next to their car, "Go home or wait here. We don't know how long we'll be gone."

"How about you call us when you can meet us?" Mirela asked.

"Fine." Sammy told her turning and opening the passenger car. "Dean." He said when he noticed Dean was still standing in the same spot. He waited to get in the car until he finally saw Dean heading for the driver's side of the car.

**TBC**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything in Supernatural Land, it is not mine. I do however lay claim to the plot hoppers that are currently running wild. _Smile sweetly here comes the suits_...

**NOTE#1**: Thank you so much for the awesomely cool reviews, favs and alerts! I adore ya'll! Seriously, dude! It is too fab to describe... Chocolate all the way around!

Chapter 27

"There's just no accounting for taste." Dean muttered shaking his head as he started his baby.

"He's okay normally, he's just jealous." Marki commented from the backseat as she sat petting Boo.

"Jealous?" Dean commented in an incredulous tone.

"Yeah. You two are the only ones to come close to his level of cuteness and then you go and set off hot meters all over town. Course he's jealous." She said in a matter of fact tone.

"Huh?" Sammy asked looking at her and then smiling when he saw Boo.

Dean laughed as he asked, "So we're the hottest things in town then?"

"Yep." She agreed with a smile before she sobered up and asked seriously, "So you really are going to try to talk to my grandmother?"

"Yeah, we are." Sammy answered still watching her and Boo.

After about 15 minutes and directions from Marki they were parked in front of a small grey house next to the woods.

Marki jumped out first and slamming the door she rushed around to Dean's side as she whispered hurriedly, "Let me talk to her first."

Dean frowned as he told her, "Easy on her doors, Marki."

"Huh?" She looked confused for a second before she caught up with the conversation, she grinned as she told him, "Sorry about that." and then she turned and raced to the house.

"You think she'll be able to talk her down?" Dean asked as he glanced over at his little brother and then back towards the house.

"Not a chance." Sammy said with a tired sigh.

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Dean commented dryly. Then Dean frowned as he focused on his brother, "Ya okay, Sammy?"

"Just as okay as you are." Sammy stated bluntly as he stared back at his big brother.

Marki came back to the front door of her house and started through when she was yanked back and they could hear shouting, "Take it off."

They jumped out of the car and raced over to the pair struggling with each other at the door to the house.

The grandmother turned on them as she asked in a shout, "You are responsible for this?"

"No." Dean responded immediately before he added bluntly, "You are."

"Excuse me?" She snarled as her eyes narrowed dangerously at him.

"You started this bullshit." Dean said slowly and with a return glare, "Is that clear enough for you?" he growled right back.

"I thought that Rufus man stole it." The grandmother said angrily as she glanced from brother to brother.

"He did." Sam acknowledged before he added, "We found it."

"Well, that's not my…" She started to say with her hands are her hips.

"I don't give a shit about your emotional baggage from eons ago. What we care about is our missing uncle and we want him back." Dean barked at her as he leaned in close.

The woman glared at him as she brought her arms up to hug them across her chest so they wouldn't see her hands that had started to shake.

"Spill it lady." Dean demanded as he took a step toward her he added, "You tell me how to fix this or so help me God…"

She laughed at him as she told him, "God has nothing to do with this."

"No fuckin' kiddin'." Dean snapped before he added, "But you will set things right or."

"Or what boy? You going to call the cops?" She asked sarcastically.

"No, but I'll make you wish to God that I had." Dean growled but noticing Marki flinch he said softly, "Sorry kid."

The grandmother looked from her granddaughter to Dean and back before she said, "It is dangerous for you to wear that." She focused on her grandchild as her voice softened as she told her, "Give it back to me."

Marki asked, "Will you fix this?" and then she reached out and took her grandmother's arm, "_Please_. Can we move on… Move from here?"

"You'd stay with me after all this?" The grandmother asked surprised as she watched her grandchild closely.

"Well of course, _you are my family_. But their uncle is missing because of this and he is _their_ family." Marki said softly.

The old woman looked up at the boys startled as she asked her, "When did you become so wise with a fool for a grandmother?"

Marki smiled as she told her gently, "You are a kind person with a lot of love to give… but people can't see it past your hatred for things long past."

"I wanted to stop after a few years but I just didn't know how and now it's too late… Hate does have a way of getting out of control." She told her grandchild sadly as she admitted, "I didn't have the courage to stop but with you..." She paused before she added, "I can let it go now… _for you_."

Sammy smiled understandingly but Dean continued to glare.

"Do you know where it is? This Kakn Tuxn demon?" Dean asked staring at the older woman intently.

She shook her head no even as she took her granddaughter's hand and pulled the ring from it. Placing it on her hand she smiled sadly at her grandchild as she told her, "Marki… I love you and I'm sorry I ever started this." Then she looked at the boys, "I know this is meaningless but, I am sorry about your uncle."

Sammy told her, "We need him back."

She nodded as she looked at Dean he narrowed his eyes as he studied her.

She closed her eyes and spoke in her native tongue. The wind picked up and Marki stepped closer to her grandmother as the sky darkened and a clap of thunder had everyone jumping as a black cloud swooped in and grabbed at the grandmother, Dean and Sam leapt into action grabbing her as well. In the background they could hear Marki screaming.

**TBC**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer**: Not even a tiny strand of stray locks belong to me… unfornately we have to be content with the Sandbox… Um… activities… and be okay with knowing that Winchesters are there own men or at least CW folk.

**NOTE#1**: Thank you so much for the reads and reviews! Freakin' Awesome! Also cool are the favs and alerts! Thumbs, yep! So, only a few more chapters to go after this one! Hopefully I haven't lost too many of you with the posting of Chapter 7 of When the Monster Comes. But if you stick with me through it all, I think you will be glad you did… Anyway here's this one, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 28

The grandmother moaned but it quickly slid into a scream as she felt like she was being ripped apart.

Sam was picked up as well and slammed into the house and as the cloud pulled him away from the house Dean screamed out in a panic, "Sammy!"

The evil chuckle that emanated like thunder from the cloud only served to piss Dean off as he murmured, "Okay you son of a bitch, _you wanta play_?" and he stepped close to yank the ring off the old woman and placed it on his own finger. The bellow of rage turned into a laugh as the demon dropped the old woman in a heap on the ground and concentrated on the Winchesters. Marki fell on her knees beside her now silent grandmother.

As Dean tried to reach his brother it slammed Sammy into the wall again, knocking him unconscious and then it pulled him away once more only to shake the limp Sam like a rag doll. Holding him up by one arm it turned and looked at Dean forming a face that growled toward him, "What will you do to save this?"

"I will kill you if he's not alright." Dean snarled beyond pissed and ready for this to be over. He was more than a little tired of his family being fucked with all the time.

"Uh-huh. What about your uncle you have been whining about? You know he's where he is because of you two." The demon made the face smile as he knew the barb would hit exactly where he'd aimed, Dean Winchester's guilty heart.

Dean flinched but twisted the ring on his finger as he commanded, "Put him down… _gently_."

"Sorry, you didn't say the magic words." The voice thundered followed by a cackle of lightening.

"Do it!" Dean bellowed as he stood tall he started to speak in Latin.

It dropped Sam as if he suddenly burned him.

Dean wanted nothing more than to run to Sam as he lay unmoving where he dropped but he couldn't yet as long as the demon still posed a threat to his little brother.

It started laughing as it told Dean, "Your _Uncle _was so angry when he found out your brother nearly died from the call Rufus made to him. He had no choice but to come to try to stop me… to lure me away from his beloved children."

Dean blinked rapidly as he stored that information for later.

"_Now what, Winchester_?" The demon asked curling the face into a snarl as it swirled in and out and all around Dean.

A new voice said from behind Dean, "Now you are no longer needed." And Dean heard a snap and a flash and the demon screeched in terror as it disentagrated.

"What the hell?" Dean snapped as he turned and faced Cas. "What did you do?" He yelled in a panic as he raced to his fallen brother and knelt beside him, "Sammy?" He whispered as he pulled him into his lap and then looked up as he glared at Cas, "Great Cas… now I don't know where to find Bobby and Rufus."

"Dean I had to come…" Cas said in an almost whine, "Sammy was praying that God send me to help you and Bobby." Cas added rapidly.

"What? He prayed for me and Bobby? " Dean asked as he looked down at Sammy and gently brushed the hair out of Sam's pale face. He nodded, _Yeah, that was just like his little brother._

"Yes. So I came." Cas said solemnly as he knelt beside the brothers.

"Did he pray for himself?" Dean asked tiredly already certain of the answer.

"Dean." Cas started to say only to have Dean interrupt him.

"He didn't did he?" Dean absentmindedly played with Sam's hair, pushing hair out of his eyes. "Stupid kid." Dean muttered fondly.

Cas started to reach out to touch Sam only to have Dean grab his hand. "What are you doing?" His eyes deepening to a dark green as he watched Cas.

"Fixing your brother so that we can go get that uncle of yours." Cas stated as he waited for Dean to release his hand.

Dean jerked his head up to look at Cas as he asked, "You know where he is?"

"Yes." Cas added simply.

"Why didn't you say so?" Dean asked clearly frustrated at the news. _Had he known all along or just find out?_ A question for later definitely.

"You did not ask." Cas stated in his calm way.

Cas put a finger to Sam's forehead and as the glow intensified Sam suddenly gasp and tried to sit up as he mumbled, "Dean."

Dean patted him on the chest as he pulled him back against him he told him, "Whoa, Sammy, just take a few seconds."

"Dean." Sammy gasped.

"Sam?" Dean leaned in to hear Sam better.

"Okay?" Sammy asked as he pulled at Dean's shirt.

"Yeah, Sammy. I think they're fine." Dean said as he looked over at Marki and her grandmother who was now sitting up with the help of her grandchild.

"You?" Sammy asked patting Dean's chest.

"Yeah, little brother I'm good now that you are." Dean said with a grin.

Cas asked quietly, "Are you ready to go?"

"Hell yeah! Right Sammy?" Dean asked looking down worriedly.

Sammy smiled but Dean looked at Cas as he asked worriedly, "He's good now, right?"

Cas nodded and then Dean was able to relax a fraction as he smiled in relief he helped Sammy stand.

Cas grabbed both of them by the arm, but Dean said in a panic to Marki, "Don't mess with my car, I'll be back for it."

Then they disappeared, reappearing in a warehouse that was… God only knew where… well God and Cas.

The silence was deafening as Dean asked Sammy, "Ya good?"

"Fine." Sammy said as he looked around he felt his strength returning.

"I thought you said he was here?" Dean asked with a glare at Cas.

Sammy stopped mid-step before he smacked Dean on the chest and then he broke away from him and was running across the building. His footfalls echoing loudly off the walls as he barreled across the open room.

"Sammy?" Dean yelled after him until his eyes fell on what Sammy was focused on, two figures silhouetted in the waning light.

Dean dashed after Sammy as he called out, "Cas!"

**TBC**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer**: _Like this is suddenly going to say_… I traded them for a box of baseball cards (don't own any) and three cracked marbles (maybe have)… **SO THEY'RE MINE**! I still don't own the Super Natural boys or anything related… _damn it!_

**NOTE#1**: Hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoy the reviews, favs and alerts! Doing 2 stories at one time, I find stressful! Probably won't do that again! LOL! Unless you know, I throw in a oneshot or something…

_Sorry it has taken so long to post, had to calm my hysterical little sis… took awhile_! (she still needs me, awh... at least occasionally)

Chapter 29

"Bobby?" Sammy gasped as he knelt beside him, who was unconscious from the way he was hanging from his arms, chin to chest. The blood running down his face from the cut on his forehead didn't go unnoticed as he tried to gently lift Bobby's head so he could get a better look at him.

Dean was instantly kneeling on the other side of Bobby as he said gently. "Hey, Bobby sleeping on the job?"

Dean looked over his shoulder for Cas who was checking on Rufus. "He alive?" Dean asked coldly.

"Yes, barely." Cas replied promptly.

"Good. Leave him until Bobby is taken care of." Dean snapped in barely contained rage. He was so pissed that Rufus had risked Bobby so carelessly and probably would be for awhile. The slow burn of hatred was at the moment a hotbed of coals and glowing red, seething and smoldering.

"Boys?" came a whisper that had both boys smiling.

"Yeah?" They both answered together as they gave a quick glance to the other before focusing back on Bobby.

"Really here?" Bobby gasped out as he tried to open his eyes.

"Where else would we be other than saving your ass?" Dean snarked as he pulled his knife and started to gently saw at the ropes. He nodded at Sammy who was watching him. Sammy nodded back, letting go of Bobby's face so he could position himself to catch Bobby as soon as the ropes were gone.

Dean couldn't help but smile that he and Sam were now back on the same page and could once again communicate with each other without speaking.

After Dean gently lay Bobby's newly released hand down he patted him as he told him, "One more to go and then Cas will fix you right up."

Bobby shook his head as he gasp out, "L've boys like sons."

"We love you to Bobby." Sammy told him as he held him getting ready for his full weight to suddenly be in his arms.

"Proud my boys." Bobby looked up and tried to grin, but suddenly grimaced as he groaned and struggled to breathe.

"Don't you dare!" Dean snapped as he ordered, "Don't you fucking dare leave us!" He increased his sawing at the ropes.

"Sorry." Bobby sighed out as his eyes closed and he went limp once again.

"NO!" Dean screamed as he sawed the last strand and Bobby fell heavily onto Sammy.

Dean frantically reached for Bobby as he distractedly realized that his _no _sounded too close to his Stull Cemetery '_no_' when Bobby had died there.

Sammy looked up at Dean as tears ran unheeded down his cheeks, puppy eyed as he begged Dean to fix this.

Dean rested his hand on Bobby's still chest.

Cas reached over Dean's shoulder and placed his hand over Dean's fist that had closed around the fist full of shirt. Dean could feel the warmth flowing through his hand and into Bobby's chest.

A few seconds later Bobby gasp and lurched up as if electricity had surged through him. A second later he fell back against Sammy, but they could now hear his ragged breathing.

"Thank you." Sammy said looking up at Cas.

"Yeah, Cas. Thanks man for both of them." Dean added as he rubbed Bobby's chest which caused Bobby to open his eyes and glare at Dean.

"What the hell is going on here?" Bobby asked trying to sound like a growling bear.

"Both of them?" Sammy questioned in his classic, _I'm confused, think I'm out of the loop _tone as he kept a hand on Bobby so he could feel him breathing.

"Explain later." Dean muttered at Sam as he tried to help Sammy get himself and Bobby off the floor.

Once again Cas clasped Dean and said, "_hold still."_ and once again Dean felt something he would never get used to, _The I'm suddenly miles away and I left my stomach in BFE_.

This time though, he let it pass for the gift it was.

Cas stood and before he could disappear Dean told him, "If you could please, zap my car…"

"Don't forget Boo." Sammy added quickly.

Cas smiled and said, "I can bring them here."

Dean gave him his famous '_girl drool' _smile, at least that's what Sam called it because that smile caused girl's to drool in unison when he graced them with it.

Sam looked up as he added, "Please take Rufus somewhere else… I think if you bring him here Dean might kill him."

"He can bring him here." Dean said with an evil gleam in his eye and a smile to match.

Cas looked at Dean and then Sam as he replied, "I think you are correct Sam, Dean wishes to rip out Rufus lungs and stick them up his own ass." He tilted his head to the side as he thought about that and then asked Dean, "Why would you want to do that?"

Dean looked at Cas indignantly as he reminded him, "I thought we discussed the mind reading mojo thing?"

"You discussed… _I listened_." Cas said and then disappeared in a swoosh of air. Then he popped back in and said, "I didn't agree not to." and then he was gone again.

Sam laughed as he watched Bobby staring at them.

Sam stopped laughing and looked worriedly at Bobby as he stared at them without having saying a word since arriving.

"Bobby, you okay?" Dean asked huskily as he grabbed hold of Bobby to lead him over to the couch.

He jerked away and asked, "What the hell were you two idgits thinking?"

"_Excuse me_?" Dean asked raising his voice as he instantly saw red.

"You heard me!" Bobby yelled as he looked at each one in turn.

Dean started to shake as his voice lowered menacingly, "We were thinking the only damn family we had left was missing and by God we were going to find the crotchety old fart!"

Sam cleared his throat as he whispered, "Dean."

Dean turned on him, "No." He snapped as he turned back to Bobby moving to step in front of him, "They came and told us you were dead. _Dead, Bobby_… The sheriff handed us your damn will and told us there was no chance you survived."

"You shouldn't have come." Bobby told him firmly, not batting an eye at the glare leveled at him.

"_Oh, yeah_? Is that right? You stupid ass!" Dean snapped as he ran a hand through his hair, "If it was us who they had told _you_!" With which Dean emphasizes by pointing at Bobby, "that we were dead, here's our wills… _go on your merry fuckin' way_… would you?" He tapped his foot a couple of times as he waited before snapping, "Well? Would you have?"

Bobby smiled as he held out his arms.

Dean didn't hesitate as he reached out snagged Sam and stepped both of them into Bobby's hug.

After a few minutes Bobby cleared his throat and asked, "Did you solve the case?" and then he stepped back and walking over he sat down on the couch as he watched the boys.

"Of course we did." Dean said smugly as he sat down on the other end of the couch.

Sam sat on the edge of the coffee table as he said, "Yep, Cas came in at the last minute and evaporated it."

"IT?" Bobby said confused, "What was it?"

"A Bad Luck demon being controlled by an old lady with that ring Rufus stole." Dean said.

"Where is it now?" Bobby asked as he watched Dean closely.

"I don't know Cas…" Dean started to say only to have Bobby interrupt.

"The ring." Bobby clarified.

"Um…" Dean looked confused for a second and then looked down at his hand.

Sam snapped as he held out his hand, "Take it off."

"What the hell are you wearing the damn thing for?" Bobby growled snatching it off Dean's finger before he growled, "idgit."

"I needed it to control the demon." Dean snapped as he rubbed his finger.

"Don't you pull another dumbass idgit…" Bobby growled as he sat the ring on the side table. "Have Cas toss it in a volcano or something."

"Don't get demon knapped again and we won't have to… _right Sammy_?" Dean asked looking at his brother.

Sammy nodded in agreement as he said, "That's right, brother."

**TBC**

**TInYNote: **I hope you think this a good resolution to finding Bobby. One more Chapter to go ~ iamtryN 


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer**: **I do not own… **except in my dreams where it's all mine, mine, **MINE**… (stops evil laugh and looks around, clears throat) _I mean ours, ours, OURS_! (smiles warmly at the angry mob suddenly surrounding) Sandbox Raiders Unite!

**NOTE#1**: So here we are, guys. The end of another story… Thanks so much for the support and R&R'ing! I so appreciate it! Especially with the rough start I had on this one and the patience everyone had! Well, hotshow hope the ending is something you like as much as the rest of it! And as always I love the reviews, favs and alerts! Awesomely cool!Hope you all have enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it!

Chapter 30

They had spent the rest of the evening just being together and had nodded off late into the night in the living room, only to be woke up by a loud vehicle pulling up to the front of the house a few hours later. To Sam and Bobby's surprise Dean had already been awake and standing with a curtain pulled back as he stared out the window. Dean grabbed Bobby's shotgun and beat everyone to the front door when he saw who stepped out of the truck that had pulled up, "Hold it right the fuck there!"

"Listen _boy_…" Rufus began only to have Dean snarl.

"I ain't your boy, now get the hell back where you came from." Dean growled as he took a half step forward.

"This here ain't your place and until _he_ tells me to leave I ain't…" Rufus' tirade was interrupted by a shotgun blast that had him tumbling backwards off the steps.

"That's your last fuckin' warning!" Dean roared as he aimed the shotgun at Rufus' chest and stepped out onto the porch.

"I think you better do what the my boy wants." Bobby stated as he walked up and pushed the barrel of the gun down but didn't try to take the gun.

Sammy came to stand on the other side of Dean, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared silently in support for Dean.

"_Your boy_?" Rufus scoffed as he stood and dusted himself off.

"Family ain't only about blood, you used to know that Rufus." Bobby stated sadly as he watched his old friend stare at him with what could only be described as contempt.

"Well you know how that worked out." Rufus stated coldly.

"Yeah, I do Rufus." Bobby shook his head as he looked back into Rufus's cold brown eyes. "Maybe you ought to consider retiring yourself."

Rufus laughed as he commented, "Like that'll happen. The only way I'll retire is in a pine box."

"I can help you out with that." Dean said in a low voice, no longer shaking with rage but tempered in calm determination to finish this thing once and for all.

Sammy looked at Dean and stepped closer.

Bobby asked with a sigh, "What do you want, Rufus?"

"You can't really still be pissed at me?" He asked sounding genuinely surprised.

Bobby snorted as he snapped, "You of all people are you really going to stand there and act like you don't already know the answer to that?"

Rufus raised his hands in surrender as he admitted, "I got in over my head, okay… and I'm sorry you and "_your boys_" got dragged into it. That's all I wanted to say."

"Okay. You've said your piece." Bobby told him bluntly.

"What? You aren't going to invite me in for some of that secret stash you have just for me? Ya know, my bottle of…" Rufus said trying to smile his way past the anger radiating off the porch.

Dean interrupted with clipped words that he barely kept in a civil tone, "He doesn't have it anymore. I drank it."

Rufus frowned before he said, "Fine. Call me when you decide to quit being so damn bull headed."

Finally Sammy had something to say, "Have you not met my brother? He's the King of Grudge Holding."

Rufus said as he walked away, "I know I was talking to Bobby."

They watched him walk away before Bobby opened the screen door and asked, "You ready to really drink that bottle now?" he sent a smile Dean's way before he gave Sammy a pat on the back and a slight shove towards the open door.

Dean glanced over his shoulder at Bobby as he said, "Sounds good, give me a minute."

After Dean made sure the porch had been vacated he said to thin air, "You can come out now."

A sleek black body came out from under the porch step and sat on the top step and watched him.

He felt like an idiot as he told the cat, "I don't know what the deal is with you but I don't think you're here to hurt us…" he watched the cat as it lifted it's head and looked at him.

"But if you do hurt my family I will kill you. Do we understand each other?"

She gave a slight nod and stood, walking over to him she wrapped herself around his legs and meowed.

"Good. I don't want to have to have this talk again." Dean stated as he picked her up and walked into the house closing the door behind them and from inside Dean could be heard questioning Sammy with a laugh, "The King of grudge holding?"

"Shuddup, jerk." Sammy snickered out his retort.

'bitch." Dean snarked back.

"_Boys._" Bobby said in that tone that made both boys laugh. It was good to hear and it had been missed.

**THE END**


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